Milalai
Levitical musician at the wall in Jerusalem
Milalai was one of the Levitical musicians who took part in the dedication of Jerusalem's rebuilt wall under Nehemiah's leadership. He played musical instruments and joined one of the two large thanksgiving processions that marched on the wall. He is mentioned only once in the Bible, in Nehemiah 12.
Key events
Dedication of Jerusalem's Wall
Milalai took part in the great dedication celebration of Jerusalem's rebuilt wall, where two large thanksgiving processions marched.
27At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from all their settlements and brought to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing, with thanksgivings and singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.
וּבַחֲנֻכַּ֞ת חוֹמַ֣ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם בִּקְשׁ֤וּ אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם֙ מִכָּל־מְק֣וֹמֹתָ֔ם לַהֲבִיאָ֖ם לִֽירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם לַעֲשֹׂ֨ת חֲנֻכָּ֤ה וְשִׂמְחָה֙ וּבְתוֹד֣וֹת וּבְשִׁ֔יר מְצִלְתַּ֖יִם נְבָלִ֥ים וּבְכִנֹּרֽוֹת׃
28So the sons of the singers gathered from the district around Jerusalem, from the villages of the Netophathites,
וַיֵּאָ֣סְפ֔וּ בְּנֵ֖י הַמְשֹׁרְרִ֑ים וּמִן־הַכִּכָּר֙ סְבִיב֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם וּמִן־חַצְרֵ֖י נְטֹפָתִֽי׃
29from Beth-gilgal, and from the fields of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.
וּמִבֵּית֙ הַגִּלְגָּ֔ל וּמִשְּׂד֥וֹת גֶּ֖בַע וְעַזְמָ֑וֶת כִּ֣י חֲצֵרִ֗ים בָּנ֤וּ לָהֶם֙ הַמְשֹׁ֣רֲרִ֔ים סְבִיב֖וֹת יְרוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃
30The priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people, the gates, and the wall.
וַיִּֽטַּהֲר֔וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְהַלְוִיִּ֑ם וַֽיְטַהֲרוּ֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְאֶת־הַשְּׁעָרִ֖ים וְאֶֽת־הַחוֹמָֽה׃
Procession with Musical Instruments
Milalai was among the Levitical musicians who carried David's musical instruments in the procession along the wall, under the leadership of Ezra the scribe.
36and his kinsmen Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe went before them.
וְֽאֶחָ֡יו שְֽׁמַעְיָ֡ה וַעֲזַרְאֵ֡ל מִֽלֲלַ֡י גִּֽלֲלַ֡י מָעַ֞י נְתַנְאֵ֤ל וִֽיהוּדָה֙ חֲנָ֔נִי בִּכְלֵי־שִׁ֥יר דָּוִ֖יד אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעֶזְרָ֥א הַסּוֹפֵ֖ר לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
Praise and Thanksgiving on the Wall
Milalai and the other musicians contributed to the great thanksgiving celebration with singing and music when the two processions met at God's house.
40So the two choirs of thanksgiving took their places in the house of God, and I with them, along with half the officials,
וַֽתַּעֲמֹ֛דְנָה שְׁתֵּ֥י הַתּוֹדֹ֖ת בְּבֵ֣ית הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַאֲנִ֕י וַחֲצִ֥י הַסְּגָנִ֖ים עִמִּֽי׃
41and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets,
וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֡ים אֶלְיָקִ֡ים מַעֲשֵׂיָ֡ה מִ֠נְיָמִין מִיכָיָ֧ה אֶלְיוֹעֵינַ֛י זְכַרְיָ֥ה חֲנַנְיָ֖ה בַּחֲצֹצְרֽוֹת׃
42and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. The singers sang out, with Jezrahiah as their director.
וּמַעֲשֵׂיָ֨ה וּֽשְׁמַֽעְיָ֜ה וְאֶלְעָזָ֧ר וְעֻזִּ֛י וִֽיהוֹחָנָ֥ן וּמַלְכִּיָּ֖ה וְעֵילָ֣ם וָעָ֑זֶר וַיַּשְׁמִ֙יעוּ֙ הַמְשֹׁ֣רְרִ֔ים וְיִֽזְרַחְיָ֖ה הַפָּקִֽיד׃
43That day they offered great sacrifices and rejoiced, for God had given them great joy. The women and the children rejoiced as well, and the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
וַיִּזְבְּח֣וּ בַיּוֹם־הַ֠הוּא זְבָחִ֨ים גְּדוֹלִ֜ים וַיִּשְׂמָ֗חוּ כִּ֤י הָאֱלֹהִים֙ שִׂמְּחָם֙ שִׂמְחָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וְגַ֧ם הַנָּשִׁ֛ים וְהַיְלָדִ֖ים שָׂמֵ֑חוּ וַתִּשָּׁמַ֛ע שִׂמְחַ֥ת יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם מֵרָחֽוֹק׃
Nehemiah's Organization of the Celebration
Nehemiah organized the dedication of the wall and appointed Levites and musicians, including Milalai, to take part in the procession.
31Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs of thanksgiving. One went to the right along the top of the wall toward the Dung Gate,
וָאַעֲלֶה֙ אֶת־שָׂרֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֔ה מֵעַ֖ל לַחוֹמָ֑ה וָאַעֲמִ֡ידָה שְׁתֵּ֣י תוֹדֹת֩ גְּדוֹלֹ֨ת וְתַהֲלֻכֹ֤ת לַיָּמִין֙ מֵעַ֣ל לַחוֹמָ֔ה לְשַׁ֖עַר הָאַשְׁפֹּֽת׃
32and behind them went Hoshaiah and half the leaders of Judah,
וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אַחֲרֵיהֶם֙ הוֹשַׁ֣עְיָ֔ה וַחֲצִ֖י שָׂרֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃
33along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,
וַעֲזַרְיָ֥ה עֶזְרָ֖א וּמְשֻׁלָּֽם׃
34Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,
יְהוּדָה֙ וּבִנְיָמִ֔ן וּֽשְׁמַֽעְיָ֖ה וְיִרְמְיָֽה׃ ס
35and some of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph,
וּמִבְּנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים בַּחֲצֹצְר֑וֹת זְכַרְיָ֨ה בֶן־יֽוֹנָתָ֜ן בֶּן־שְׁמַֽעְיָ֗ה בֶּן־מַתַּנְיָה֙ בֶּן־מִ֣יכָיָ֔ה בֶּן־זַכּ֖וּר בֶּן־אָסָֽף׃
36and his kinsmen Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and Ezra the scribe went before them.
וְֽאֶחָ֡יו שְֽׁמַעְיָ֡ה וַעֲזַרְאֵ֡ל מִֽלֲלַ֡י גִּֽלֲלַ֡י מָעַ֞י נְתַנְאֵ֤ל וִֽיהוּדָה֙ חֲנָ֔נִי בִּכְלֵי־שִׁ֥יר דָּוִ֖יד אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעֶזְרָ֥א הַסּוֹפֵ֖ר לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃