Lexical Summary Delayah or Delayahu: Delaiah or Delaiah-hu Original Word: דְּלָיָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Dalaiah, Delaiah Or (prolonged) Dlayahhuw {del-aw-yaw'-hoo}; from dalah and Yahh; Jah has delivered; Delajah, the name of five Israelites -- Dalaiah, Delaiah. see HEBREW dalah see HEBREW Yahh NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom dalah and Yah Definition "Yah has drawn," five Isr. NASB Translation Delaiah (7). Brown-Driver-Briggs דְּלָיָ֫הוּ, דְּלָיָה proper name, masculine (Yah(u) hath drawn) — 1 דְּלָיָהוּ, a. a priest, contemporary of David, 1 Chronicles 24:18. b. a prince of Judah, contemporary of Jeremiah Jeremiah 36:12,25. 2 דְּלָיָה, a. head of a family contemporary with Zerubbabel Ezra 2:60 = Nehemiah 7:62. b. descendant of Zerubbabel. 1 Chronicles 3:24. c. father of contemporary of Nehemiah Nehemiah 6:10. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Biblical Role of the Name Delaiah (“Yah has delivered”) appears seven times in Scripture, attached to four distinct men whose lives span the monarchy, the exile, and the restoration. In each setting the name is linked to divine preservation—whether of the Davidic line, the priestly ministry, the purity of the returning community, or the prophetic word. 1. A Davidic Heir after the Exile (1 Chronicles 3:24) In the carefully guarded genealogy of David’s house, Delaiah is sixth of the seven sons of Elioenai. His inclusion underscores the Lord’s commitment to keep “a lamp for David” (1 Kings 11:36) even after Jerusalem’s fall. Though little else is recorded, this post-exilic descendant testifies that the royal promise survived judgment, exile, and foreign domination. 2. Head of the Twenty-Third Priestly Division (1 Chronicles 24:18) When David organized the twenty-four courses of priests for temple service, the family of Delaiah drew the twenty-third lot. The order continued centuries later (see Nehemiah 12:1–7, 12–21), illustrating the continuity of worship across generations. The priests of Delaiah served only one week twice a year, yet their faithfulness in routine duty contributed to the daily sacrificial system that prefigured the finished work of Christ (Hebrews 10:1–14). 3. A Post-Exilic Family of Uncertain Lineage (Ezra 2:60; Nehemiah 7:62) “Descendants of Delaiah” returned from Babylon but “could not prove that their families were Israelite” (Ezra 2:59–60). These claimants faced exclusion from priestly privileges until verified by the Urim and Thummim (Ezra 2:63). The episode highlights the restored community’s zeal for holiness: heritage alone did not grant standing; documented covenant identity mattered. The principle endures in the church, where spiritual birth, not mere association, marks true membership (John 1:12–13). 4. A Court Official during Jehoiakim’s Reign (Jeremiah 36:12, 25) Delaiah son of Shemaiah served among the royal princes who heard Baruch read Jeremiah’s scroll. When King Jehoiakim defiantly cut and burned the manuscript, “Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, but he would not listen to them” (Jeremiah 36:25). Their respectful protest shows a remnant of conscience within a corrupt court. Though unable to restrain the king, Delaiah’s stand upheld the inviolability of God’s word and prepared the way for the scroll’s divinely commanded rewrite (Jeremiah 36:32). 5. Father of a False Prophet in Nehemiah’s Day (Nehemiah 6:10) A century later Nehemiah meets “Shemaiah son of Delaiah,” hired to lure the governor into the temple under pretense of assassination plots. The father’s identity suggests a family of some stature, perhaps related to the earlier prince, yet the son prostitutes spiritual gifts for personal gain. The account cautions that noble lineage offers no immunity from apostasy; every generation must choose fidelity. Theological Themes 1. Covenant Continuity—Across exile and restoration the name Delaiah recurs in royal, priestly, and lay contexts, witnessing that the Lord sustains every strand of His redemptive plan. Ministry Implications for Today • Uphold Scripture publicly even when cultural powers reject it. Together the seven references to Delaiah form a mosaic of God’s preserving grace, reminding readers that He keeps His word, protects His worship, and invites each generation to faithful participation in His unfolding story. Forms and Transliterations דְּלָיָ֛ה דְלָיָ֥ה דליה וּדְלָיָ֛ה וּדְלָיָ֣הוּ וּדְלָיָ֤הוּ ודליה ודליהו לִדְלָיָ֙הוּ֙ לדליהו də·lā·yāh ḏə·lā·yāh delaYah dəlāyāh ḏəlāyāh liḏ·lā·yā·hū lidlaYahu liḏlāyāhū ū·ḏə·lā·yā·hū ū·ḏə·lā·yāh udelaYah ūḏəlāyāh udelaYahu ūḏəlāyāhūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 3:24 HEB: וְ֠עַקּוּב וְיוֹחָנָ֧ן וּדְלָיָ֛ה וַעֲנָ֖נִי שִׁבְעָֽה׃ NAS: Johanan, Delaiah and Anani, KJV: and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, INT: Akkub and Johanan Delaiah and Anani seven 1 Chronicles 24:18 Ezra 2:60 Nehemiah 6:10 Nehemiah 7:62 Jeremiah 36:12 Jeremiah 36:25 7 Occurrences |
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