Bible Encyclopedias
Kelaiah

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kḗ - lā´ya , kḗ - lı̄´a ( קליה , ḳēlāyāh , "swift for Yah"[?]; Κωλίος , Kōlı̄os ; Codex Vaticanus, Κώνος , Kṓnos ): One of the priests who had "foreign wives" ( Ezra 10:23 , also "Kelita"). In parallel list of 1 Esdras 9:23, he again has a double name - "Colius" and "Calitas." A "Kelita" is named as helping Ezra at the expounding of the law (Nehemiah 8:7; compare 1 Esdras 9:48, "Calitas"), and also among the signatories of the covenant (Nehemiah 10:9; for nature of covenant see Nehemiah 10:28 ff). They may not, however, be the same person.