Bible Encyclopedias
Calitas

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kal´i -tas ( Καλιτάς , Kalitás , or Καλειταίς , Kaleitaı́s ): One of the Levites who put away their foreign wives at the request of Esdras (Ezra), 1 Esdras 9:23, "Colius, who was called Calitas." It is the Greek form of Hebrew Kelita (compare parallel passage, Ezra 10:23 , elaiah, the same is Kelita"). He is also named with those who explained the law when read to the people by Esdras (1 Esdras 9:48; compare Nehemiah 8:7 ). It is not certain whether he is to be identified with the Kelita of Nehemiah 10:10 (one of the Levites who signed the covenant made by Nehemiah). The word probably means "dwarf."