BILGAI (bĭl'gā-ī). A priest in Nehemiah’s time, 444 b.c. (Neh.10.8).


BILGAI bĭl’ gī (בִלְגַּ֖י, cheerfulness). A priest who sealed the covenant under Ezra (Neh 10:8); prob. the same as Bilgah 2.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

bil’-ga-i (bilgah; bilgay, "cheerfulness"): A priest or priestly family in the time of the Return (Ne 12:5), and (under the form of "Bilgai," Ne 10:8) in the time of Nehemiah. According to 1Ch 24:14, Bilgah is the 15th of the 24 divisions of the priests who officiated in the Temple. In the Septuagint, the names read Belgai, Belga and Balgas. The traditional explanation of the name is "rejuvenation"; modern exegetes explain it as "cheerfulness."