Boy Old Testament Rare
Kallai
light; resting by fire; my voice
קַלַּי qal.lay
Kallai (Hebrew: קַלַּי, qal.lay) means “light; resting by fire; my voice”, by traditional interpretation. It appears once, at Nehemiah 12:20. In 2024 it was given to 5 children in the United States. Appears with Amok in Nehemiah 12.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Kallai
son of Jeshua
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 1 across 1 book
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Return
- Hapax
- Yes occurs exactly once
Using it today
Based on 2024 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2024 | 5 | Steady |
| All-time total | 21 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 6 in 2022 | Its highest year on record |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Nehemiah 12:20 |
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Neh.12.20
§ Kallai = "swift"
a priest of the family of Sallai in the time of Nehemiah
Kallai was a priest who served during the time of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua, after the Babylonian exile.
The biblical story
Kallai is mentioned in Neh.12.20 as one of the priests who served during the time of Joiakim, the son of Jeshua. The context of the passage is the list of priests and Levites who served in the temple after the Babylonian exile (Neh.12.1-26).
Kallai is listed as the head of the priestly family of Sallai (Neh.12.20). This suggests that he was a prominent priest who led his family in their service at the temple during the post-exilic period.
The mention of Kallai in this list highlights the importance of the priestly families and their organization in the restored community of Israel. It also demonstrates the continuity of priestly service and the significance of the temple in the religious life of the people after the exile.
Apart from this brief mention in Nehemiah, no other information is provided about Kallai's life, specific role, or the duration of his service as a priest.
Key verses
Kallai appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:
-
Of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;
Nehemiah 12:20
Show all 1 reference
Nehemiah (1)
- Nehemiah 12:20