Lexical Definition

‎עַתְלַי‎ ʻAthlay (ath-lah'ee) Athlai ^N:N-M-P
from an unused root meaning to compress; constringent

Athlai.

• § Athlai = "whom Jehovah afflicts"
• Athlai, an Israelite

1) one of the sons of Bebai and one who put away his foreign wife in the time of Ezra

Extended Information

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.28

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎עֲתַלְיָ֫ה(וּׅ‎, ‎עַתְלָ֑י‎ proper name, feminine and masculine (? ‎׳‎‎י‎ is exalted); —

1. feminine Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, mother of Ahaziah king of Judah; Γοθολια: ‎יָהוּ‎- 2Kgs 8:26; 2Kgs 11:2; 2Kgs 11:20 = 2Chr 22:2; 2Chr 22:10; 2Chr 22:11; 2Chr 23:12; 2Chr 23:13; 2Chr 23:21; 2Chr 24:7 ‎יָה‎- 2Kgs 11:1; 2Kgs 11:3; 2Kgs 11:13; 2Kgs 11:14; 2Chr 22:12.

2. masculine a. 1Chr 8:26 Ογοθολια.
b. Ezra 8:7 Αθελει, A Αθλια; ᵐ5^L Γοθονίου (genitive).
c. ‎עַתְלָ֑י‎ one with foreign wife Ezra 10:28, Θαλι, A Οθαλι.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References

Profile

Male • Returned divorcee • One of those who agreed to put away foreign wives

Man living at the time of Exile and Return

Athlai was one of the men who agreed to put away their foreign wives during Ezra's reforms (Ezr 10:28).

• A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.28;
• only referred to as Athlai עַתְלַי.

Athlai is mentioned in Ezra 10 as one of the men who had married foreign women during the time of Ezra. After the return from Babylonian captivity, Ezra discovered that many Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the neighboring peoples, going against God's commands. Ezra called for a assembly and urged the people to confess their sin and separate themselves from their foreign wives. Athlai was among those who agreed to put away their foreign wives and children, demonstrating his commitment to obey God's laws and maintain the purity of the Israelite community.

All entries for Athlai: עַתְלַי