Original Word: קַלַּי
Part of Speech: Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration: Qallay
Pronunciation: kal-lah'ee
Phonetic Spelling: (kal-lah'-ee)
KJV: Kallai
NASB: Kallai
Word Origin: [from H7043 (קָלַל - cursed)]

1. frivolous
2. Kallai, an Israelite

Kallai

From qalal; frivolous; Kallai, an Israelite -- Kallai.

see HEBREW qalal

Word Origin
from qalal
Definition
an Isr. priest
NASB Translation
Kallai (1).

קַלַּי proper name, masculine priest Nehemiah 12:20, ᵐ5^L Καλμει.

Name and Occurrence

Kallai appears once in Scripture, in Nehemiah 12:20, as the head of the priestly household of Sallu during the high-priesthood of Joiakim after the Babylonian exile.

Historical Setting

Nehemiah 12 records the organization of the temple personnel in Jerusalem following the completion of the wall (Nehemiah 6:15) and the public reading of the Law (Nehemiah 8). The listing of priestly heads under Joiakim evidences the reestablishment of covenant worship approximately a century after the first return under Zerubbabel (circa 538 BC). Kallai’s name anchors his family in this pivotal generation when spiritual reforms were consolidated and national identity was renewed.

Priestly Lineage and Duties

Kallai represents the house of Sallu, one of the twenty-four priestly divisions originally instituted by David (1 Chronicles 24). Although the post-exilic community did not always maintain the full complement of twenty-four, the heads named in Nehemiah 12 serve as guarantors of continuity with the pre-exilic order. Kallai, as head, would have overseen sacrificial rites, the maintenance of holiness regulations (Leviticus 6:8-13), and the teaching of Torah within his division (Malachi 2:7).

Role in Post-Exilic Worship

The mention of Kallai signals that the priestly course of Sallu was active, staffed, and contributing to daily and seasonal offerings at the rebuilt temple (Ezra 6:16-22). This restored service assured the people that covenant mediation, symbolized by perpetual sacrifice and intercession, was once more functioning as prescribed.

Theological Significance

1. Covenant Faithfulness: God preserved priestly families through exile so that worship could resume in accordance with Mosaic legislation.
2. Continuity of Promise: The priestly line, maintained through figures like Kallai, anticipates the ultimate High Priest, Jesus Christ, who fulfills and surpasses the Aaronic order (Hebrews 7:23-28).
3. Community Accountability: Naming individual heads stresses corporate responsibility; each family had identifiable leadership to ensure obedience to the Law (Nehemiah 12:30).

Lessons for Ministry Today

• Leadership Verification: Clear lines of accountability, as seen with Kallai, protect doctrinal purity and enable effective oversight.
• Historical Memory: Cataloging faithful servants encourages present generations to honor past commitments and remain steadfast.
• Ordered Worship: Structured service divisions underline that reverence and orderliness in worship are biblical priorities (1 Corinthians 14:40).

Key Reference

Nehemiah 12:20 “of Sallu, Kallai;”

קַלָּ֖י קלי kalLai qal·lāy qallāyInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts