מִֽלֲלַי (mi.la.lay)
mi.la.lay
Milalai
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Milalai, or מִֽלֲלַי, appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, recorded in Nehemiah 12:36 among the priests who returned from exile. It identifies a specific individual, the son of Jonathan and a descendant of the worship leader Asaph. In this context, the name serves as a marker of lineage within the restored community, linking him to a family responsible for temple music and service.
Linguistically, Milalai is understood to mean "eloquent" or "one who speaks." This meaning suggests a connection to speech or perhaps musical performance, fitting for someone in the Asaphite line where singing and leading worship were central duties. While the text does not describe his personal character, the name itself highlights the value placed on articulate expression in the religious life of post-exilic Judah.
Because the word occurs so rarely, it offers a narrow but clear window into how names reflected personal or familial traits during this period. The association with eloquence implies that effective communication was seen as a valuable gift, whether for prayer, prophecy, or liturgical leadership. This single entry preserves the memory of a man whose name pointed to his ability to speak well within the worship community.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Milalai appears only once in Scripture, nestled within the list of priests who returned from exile in Nehemiah 12:36. It identifies a man whose name means 'eloquent' or 'one who speaks.' This single mention reminds us that God values the gifts He gives to His people, including the ability to communicate clearly and lead others in worship.
In the restored community, this individual was part of a lineage dedicated to temple music and service. His name suggests that articulate expression was seen as a valuable gift for prayer and liturgical leadership. We can take comfort in knowing that God uses ordinary people with specific talents to build up His church today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Milalai1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִֽלֲלַ֡י1×
Key Verses
-
Nehemiah 12:36
and his brothers, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe was before them.
This verse places Milalai among the priests returning from exile, highlighting his role in the restored worship community alongside musical instruments.