צִלְּתַי (tsil.l.tay)
tsil.l.tay
Zillethai
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 tsilltay, rendered in English as Zillethai or Zilthai, appears only twice in the Hebrew Bible, both within the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles. It identifies two distinct individuals from the era of the Divided Monarchy: a Benjamite listed among the descendants of Shimei in 1 Chronicles 8:20, and a Manassite commander who joined David at Ziklag in 1 Chronicles 12:20.
Linguistically, the name likely means "his shadow" or "darkness," derived from roots associated with shade or gloom. While the biblical text does not elaborate on the personal lives of these men, their inclusion in the tribal registers highlights the importance of lineage and loyalty in ancient Israelite society. The Benjamite connects to the tribal heritage, while the Manassite represents the diverse coalition that rallied around David’s leadership.
These brief mentions serve as reminders of the broader community surrounding key biblical figures. By recording names like Zillethai, the chronicler preserves the identity of ordinary men who played specific roles in the nation’s history, ensuring their contributions to the Davidic dynasty are remembered alongside those of more prominent leaders.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Zillethai appears in the genealogies of 1 Chronicles, marking an individual from the tribe of Benjamin. In ancient Israel, family records were not just lists of names but vital documents that established identity, inheritance rights, and social standing. To be included in these registers was to affirm one's place within the covenant community.
For modern readers, this brief mention offers a quiet encouragement. It reminds us that God’s historical narrative includes ordinary people alongside kings and prophets. Your name, too, is known and valued by God. Even if your contributions seem small or unrecorded in human history, you are part of the broader story of faithfulness that He preserves.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Zillethai1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/צִלְּתַ֖י1×