Lexical Definition
קֵלָיָה Qêlâyâh (kay-law-yaw') Kelaiah N:N-M-P
from קָלָה; insignificance
Kelaiah.
- § Kelaiah = "Jehovah has dishonoured"
- Kelajah, an Israelite
1) a Levite who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra
1a) also 'Kelita'
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| וְקֵֽלָיָה֙ | and Kelaiah | Ezra.10.23 |
| Κωλία | Kelaiah | LXX.Ezra.10.23 |
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.23 also called Kelita at Ezr.10.23
- Also named: qe.li.ta (קְלִיטָא "Kelita" קְלִיטָא)
Profile
Male • Returned divorcee • A Levite who married a foreign woman
Man living at the time of Exile and Return
Kelaiah, also known as Kelita, was a Levite who had married a foreign woman and pledged to put her away during Ezra's reform.
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Ezr.10.23;
- referred to as Kelaiah קֵלָיָה, or Kelita קְלִיטָא.
Kelaiah, also known as Kelita, is mentioned in Ezra 10:23 as one of the Levites who had married foreign women during the time of Ezra. The context of the passage is Ezra's reform, where he addressed the issue of intermarriage between the Israelites and the pagan peoples of the land (Ezra 9-10).
Kelaiah is listed among the Levites who had taken foreign wives (Ezra 10:23). As part of the covenant made by the people to put away their foreign wives and children, Kelaiah would have been required to separate from his foreign wife (Ezra 10:10-11).
The name Kelaiah is used interchangeably with Kelita in this passage, indicating that they refer to the same person. The use of both names may suggest that Kelaiah was his given name, while Kelita was a surname or an alternative name.
Apart from this mention in the context of Ezra's reform, no other information is provided about Kelaiah's background, specific role, or the circumstances surrounding his marriage to a foreign woman.