Piltai appears in Nehemiah 12:17 as the head of a priestly family during the time of the high priest Joiakim, in the generations following the return from Babylon. These lists in Nehemiah 12 trace the continuity of priestly families, demonstrating that despite the exile's disruption, the legitimate priesthood survived and was reconstituted in Jerusalem. Piltai represents one link in this chain of authorized ministry. The careful preservation of such names reflects how seriously post-exilic Judaism took questions of lineage and authorization for sacred service.