Bible Dictionary
Tobiah
Tobiah was an influential Ammonite opponent of Nehemiah’s work in Jerusalem. He maintained connections with Jewish nobles and was removed from a chamber of the temple that had been prepared for him.
Definition
Tobiah was an influential Ammonite opponent of Nehemiah’s rebuilding work in Jerusalem. He was connected by marriage with Jewish families and maintained correspondence with Jewish nobles. A second Tobiah was the ancestor-name of a family that returned with Zerubbabel but could not establish its descent.
Biblical Usage
The Ammonite Tobiah opposed Nehemiah, sought to frighten him by letters, and occupied a chamber in the temple through the favor of Eliashib. Nehemiah expelled his belongings and restored the chamber.
Historical Background
Tobiah’s Jewish family connections included his marriage to the daughter of Shecaniah and his son’s marriage to the daughter of Meshullam.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Pleasing to Jehovah, the “servant,” the “Ammonite,” who joined with those who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Exile (Neh. 2:10). He was a man of great influence, which he exerted in opposition to the Jews, and “sent letters” to Nehemiah “to put him in fear” (Neh. 6:17-19). “Eliashib the priest” prepared for him during Nehemiah’s absence “a chamber in the courts of the house of God,” which on his return grieved Nehemiah sore, and therefore he “cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber” (13:7, 8).
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(goodness of Jehovah).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>to-bi'-a (Tobhiyah; Codex Alexandrinus Tobias; omitted in Codex Vaticanus):</p><p>(1) An Ammonite slave (King James Version, "servant"), probably of Sanballat, the governor of Samaria (Ne 2:10). He was grieved exceedingly when Nehemiah came to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. In two ways he was connected by marriage with the Jews, having himself married the daughter of Shecaniah, the son of Arab, and his son Jehohanan having married the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah (Ne 6:18). Because of this close connection with the Jews, the nobles of the latter corresponded by letter with him and also reported his good deeds to Nehemiah and reported Nehemiah's words to Tobiah. In consequence of the report, Tobiah sent letters to Nehemiah to put him in fear (6:17-19). Nehemiah seems to have considered him to be his chief enemy; for he put him before Sanballat in his prayers to God to remember his opponents according to their works (6:14). In 13:4 we are told that he was an ally of Eliashib, the high priest who had the oversight of the chambers of the house of God and had prepared for him as a guest chamber the room which had before been used as a storehouse for offerings of various kinds. Nehemiah, having heard during his second visit to Jerusalem of this desecration of the temple, cast out the household stuff of Tobiah and cleansed the chambers, restoring the vessels of God and the offerings as of old.</p><p>(2) The eponym of a family which returned with Zerubbabel, but could not trace its descent (Ezr 2:60; Ne 7:62).</p><p>R. Dick Wilson</p>