Lexical Definition

‎דְּלָיָה‎ Dᵉlâyâh (del-aw-yaw') Delaiah ^N:N-M-P
or (prolonged) דְּלָיָהוּ Dᵉlâyâhûw (del-aw-yaw'-hoo); from ‎דָּלָה‎ and ‎יָהּ‎; Jah has delivered

Dalaiah, Delaiah.

• § Dalaiah or Delaiah = "Jehovah has drawn"
• Delajah, the name of five Israelites

1) a priest in the time of David, leader of the 23rd course
2) a son of Shemaiah, a ruler of Judah in the time of Jeremiah in the court of Jehoiakim
3) the head of an exilic family, of uncertain pedigree, claiming to be Israelites in the time of Zerubbabel
4) a descendant of Zerubbabel
5) the son of Mehetabeel and the father of Shemaiah, a contemporary of Nehemiah

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.60

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎דְּלָיָ֫הוּ‎, ‎דְּלָיָה‎ proper name, masculine (Yah(u) hath drawn) —

1. ‎דְּלָיָהוּ‎,
a. a priest, contemporary of David, 1Chr 24:18.
b. a prince of Judah, contemporary of Jeremiah Jer 36:12; Jer 36:25.

2. ‎דְּלָיָה‎,
a. head of a family contemporary with Zerubbabel Ezra 2:60 = Neh 7:62.
b. descendant of Zerubbabel. 1Chr 3:24.
c. father of contemporary of Nehemiah Neh 6:10.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Returned from exile • Ancestor of a family that returned from exile

Man living at the time of Exile and Return

Delaiah was an ancestor of a priestly family that returned from the Babylonian exile but could not prove their genealogy. (Ezr.2.60; Neh.7.62)

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.60;
• only referred to as Delaiah דְּלָיָה.

Delaiah is mentioned in Ezra 2:60 and Nehemiah 7:62 as an ancestor of a priestly family that returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile. This family, along with the families of Tobiah and Nekoda, sought to be included among the priests but could not prove their genealogy or priestly lineage.

The context of these passages is the listing of the exiles who returned to Jerusalem and Judah under the leadership of Zerubbabel. The list includes the numbers of people from various families, as well as priests, Levites, and temple servants.

The inability of Delaiah's descendants to prove their priestly lineage suggests that during the exile, some families may have lost their genealogical records or had their priestly status questioned. As a result, they were not allowed to serve as priests until a priest with the Urim and Thummim could determine their status (Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65).

The mention of Delaiah's family in this context highlights the importance of maintaining accurate genealogical records, especially for those serving in priestly roles. It also underscores the challenges faced by some families in reestablishing their identity and roles after the exile.

All entries for Delaiah: דְּלָיָה