Tobiah

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

TOBIAH or Tobijah ("goodness of Jehovah".)

1. A Levite employed by Jehoshaphat to teach the law in the cities of Judah ( 2 Chronicles 17:8).

2. "The slave, the Ammonite." With Sanballat and Geshem tried by fair means and foul to thwart Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 2:10;  Nehemiah 2:19;  Nehemiah 6:17-18;  Nehemiah 13:1-8). He had the greater power of mischief, being married into a Jewish family (the daughter of Shechaniah), and having his son Johanan married to the daughter of Meshullam, thus he had a Jewish party on his side. As Sanballat represented Moab's hereditary grudge against Israel, so Tobiah represented Ammon's. Eliashib was allied to Tobiah; possibly Sanballat, Eliashib's son in law, was related to Tobiah, and so Tobiah was connected with Eliashib ( Nehemiah 13:4). Hence, it was deemed necessary to read before the people the law that "the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God forever" ( Nehemiah 13:1). Tobiah was notorious for contemptuous sarcasm ( Nehemiah 4:3-5), "even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall."

Nehemiah winced under his scorn and appealed to God for vindication: "hear, O God, for we are despised, and turn their reproach upon their own head." The psalmist of Psalm 123 (possibly Nehemiah) speaks in the person of Israel similarly of Moab's, Ammon's, and Samaria's contempt: "behold as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters (glancing in contrast at 'Tobiah the servant' or slave) so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God ... Have mercy upon us, for we are exceedingly filled with contempt; our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud." An undesigned coincidence between the psalm and the history.

So also  Psalms 79:4;  Psalms 79:12, written at the same date (see  Psalms 79:1) when the "holy temple" lay "defiled": "we are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us ... Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach wherewith they have reproached Thee." Tobiah corresponded with the nobles of Judah of his party, many of whom were "sworn to him" because of affinity. These reported his good deeds before Nehemiah to win him over, and then reported Nehemiah's words to Tobiah, and wrote intimidating letters to Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 6:17-19). His crowning impudence was residing in a chamber of the temple, of which the proper use was to be a store for the vessels, the tithes, and offerings for the Levites, priests, etc., Eliashib having dared, in defiance of the law, to prepare it for him. Nehemiah was sorely grieved, and cast all Tobiah's stuff out, and commanded the cleansing of the chambers ( Nehemiah 13:1-9).

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

an Ammonite, an enemy to the Jews. He was one of those who strenuously opposed the rebuilding of the temple, after the return from the captivity of Babylon,  Nehemiah 2:10;  Nehemiah 4:3;  Nehemiah 5:1;  Nehemiah 5:12;  Nehemiah 5:14 . This Tobiah is called "the servant," or "slave," in some parts of Nehemiah; probably because he was of a servile condition, However, he was of great consideration in the land of the Samaritans, of which he was governor with Sanballat. This Tobiah married the daughter of Shechaniah, one of the principal Jews of Jerusalem,  Nehemiah 6:18 , and had a powerful party in Jerusalem itself, who were opposed to that of Nehemiah. He maintained a correspondence by letter with this party against the interest of  Nehemiah 6:17-19; but that prudent governor, by his wisdom and moderation, defeated all their machinations. After some time, Nehemiah was obliged to return to Babylon, subsequent to having repaired the walls of Jerusalem. Tobiah took this opportunity to come and dwell at Jerusalem; and even obtained of Eliashib, who had the care of the house of the Lord, to have an apartment in the temple. But at Nehemiah's return from Babylon, some years after, he drove Tobiah out of the courts of the temple, and threw his goods out of the holy place,  Nehemiah 13:4-8 . From this time the Scripture makes no farther mention of Tobiah. It is probable he retired to Sanballat at Samaria.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Tobi'ah. (Goodness Of Jehovah).

1. "The children of Tobiah" were a family, who returned with Zerubbabel, but were unable to prove their connection with Israel -  Ezra 2:60;  Nehemiah 7:62. (B.C. before 536).

2. "Tobiah the slave, the Ammonite," played a conspicuous part, in the rancorous position, made by Sanballat the Moabite, and his adherents to the rebuilding of Jerusalem. (B.C. 446). The two races of Moab and Ammon found in these men, fit representatives of that hereditary hatred to the Israelites, which began before the entrance into Caanan, and was not extinct when the Hebrews had ceased to exist as a nation.

But Tobiah, though a slave,  Nehemiah 2:10;  Nehemiah 2:19 - unless, this is a title of opprobrium - and an Ammonite, found means to ally himself with a priestly family, and his son, Johanan, married the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah.  Nehemiah 6:18. He himself was the son-in-law of Shechaniah, the son of Arah,  Nehemiah 6:17, and these family relations created for him, a strong faction among the Jews.

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Tobiah ( To-Bî'Ah ), Goodness Of Jehovah. 1. "The children of Tobiah" were a family who returned with Zerubbabel, but were unable to prove their connection with Israel.  Ezra 2:60;  Nehemiah 7:62. 2. Tobiah though a slave,  Nehemiah 2:10;  Nehemiah 2:19—unless this is a title of opprobrium—and an Ammonite, found means to ally himself with a priestly family, and his son Johanan married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.  Nehemiah 6:18. He himself was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah,  Nehemiah 6:17, and these family relations created for him a strong faction among the Jews.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

TOBIAH . 1 . A family which returned from exile, but could not trace their genealogy (  Ezra 2:60 =   Nehemiah 7:62 ); corrupted in 1Es 5:37 to Ban . 2 . The Ammonite who, in conjunction with Sanballat and others, persistently opposed the work of Nehemiah (  Nehemiah 2:10;   Nehemiah 2:19;   Nehemiah 4:3;   Nehemiah 4:7;   Nehemiah 6:17;   Nehemiah 13:4;   Nehemiah 13:8 ). Cf. art. Nehemiah.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

1. Ancestor of some who returned from exile.  Ezra 2:60;  Nehemiah 7:62 .

2. The Ammonite, who was a bitter enemy to Nehemiah. He afterwards became allied to Eliashib the priest, but Nehemiah turned out his goods from a chamber he occupied in the court of the house. Nehemiah said of him and others, "Ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem."   Nehemiah 2:10,19;  Nehemiah 4:3,7;  Nehemiah 6:1-19;  Nehemiah 13:4,8 .

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An Ammonite prince, in league with Sanballat and the Samaritans against the pious Jews, who were rebuilding the ruined temple,  Nehemiah 2:10;  4:3 . His threats and treachery were employed in vain. During Nehemiah's absence, Tobiah was unlawfully established by some of the chief men of Judah, his relatives, in a fine apartment of the new temple; but was ignominiously expelled on the governor's return,  Nehemiah 6:17-19;  13:1-9 .

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Nehemiah 2:10 2:19

2. A returned exile who apparently brought a gift of gold from Babylon for the Jerusalem community. Zechariah used him as a witness for his crowning of Joshua, the high priest, and to preserve the crowns in the Temple ( Zechariah 6:9-14 ).

3. Ancestor of clan who returned from Exile but could not show they were Israelites ( Ezra 2:60 )

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Nehemiah 2:10 Nehemiah 6:17-19

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

(Heb. Tobiyah', טוֹנַיָּה [once טֹביָּה ,Nehemiah 2, 19], Goodness Of Jehovah ; Sept. Τωβίας v.r. Τωβεία ; Vulg. Tobia, Tobis ) , the name of two men. (See Tobias); (See Tobiail).

1. A person whose "children" were a family that returned with Zerubbabel, but were unable to prove their connection with Israel ( Ezra 2:60;  Nehemiah 7:62). B.C. ante 536.

2. A base-born ally of the Samaritans who played a conspicuous part in the rancorous opposition made by Sanballat the Moabiite and his adherents to the rebuilding of Jerusalem under Nehemiah, B.C. 446. With An affectation of scorn, after the manner of Remus in the Roman legend, they looked on the constructions of the now hopeful and thriving Jews, and contemptuously said, "Even if a fox go up, he will break down their stone wall" ( Nehemiah 4:3). The two races of Moab and Ammon found in these men fit representatives of that hereditary hatred to the Israelites which began before the entrance into Canaan, and was not extinct when the Hebrews had ceased to exist as a nation. The horrible story of the origin of the Moabites and Ammonites, as it was told by the Hebrews, is an index of the feeling of repulsion which must have existed between these hostile families of men. In the dignified rebuke of Nehemiah it received its highest expression: "Ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem" (2, 20). But Tobiah, though-a slave ( Nehemiah 4:10;  Nehemiah 4:19), unless this be a title of opprobrium, and an Ammonite, found means to ally himself with a priestly family, and his son Johanan, married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah (6, 18). He himself was the son in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah ( Nehemiah 4:17), and these family relations created for ‘ him a strong faction among the Jews, and may have had something to do with the stern measures which Ezra found it necessary to take to repress the intermarriages with foreigners. Even a grandson of the high-priest Eliashib had married a daughter of Sanballat (13, 28). In 13:4 Eliashib is said to ‘ have been allied to Tobiah, which would imply a relationship of some kind between Tobiah and Sanballat, though its nature is not mentioned. The evil had spread so far that the leaders of the people were compelled to rouse their religious antipathies by reading from the law of Moses the strong prohibition that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God forever ( Nehemiah 4:1). Ewald (Gesch. 4:173) conjectures that Tobiah had been a page ("slave") at the Persian court, and, being in favor there, had been promoted to be satrap of the Ammonites. But it almost seems that against Tobiah there was a stronger feeling of animosity than against Sanballat, and that this animosity found expression in the epithet "the slave," which is attached to his name. It was Tobiah who gave venom to the pitying scorn of Sanballat ( Nehemiah 4:3), and provoked the bitter cry of Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 4:4-5); it was Tobiah who kept up communications with the factious Jews, and who sent letters to put their leader in fear ( Nehemiah 6:17;  Nehemiah 6:19); but his crowning act of insult was to take up his residence in the Temple in the chamber which Eliashib had prepared for him in defiance of the Mosaic statute. Nehemiah's patience could no longer contain itself, "therefore," he says, " ‘ I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber," and with this summary act Tobiah disappears from history ( Nehemiah 13:7-8). (See Nehemiah).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

tṓ - bı̄´a ( טוביּה , ṭōbhı̄yāh  ; Codex Alexandrinus Τωβίας , Tōbı́as  ; omitted in Codex Vaticanus):

(1) An Ammonite slave (King James Version, "servant"), probably of Sanballat, the governor of Samaria ( Nehemiah 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 ( Nehemiah 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 ( Nehemiah 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 ( Nehemiah 6:14 ). In  Nehemiah 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.

(2) The eponym of a family which returned with Zerubbabel, but could not trace its descent ( Ezra 2:60;  Nehemiah 7:62 ).

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Tobi´ah, a base Samaritan, who, having raised himself from a state of slavery to be a trusted favorite of Sanballat, did his utmost to gratify his master by resisting the proceedings of Nehemiah in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. His dishonest practices and threats proved alike unsuccessful; but during the temporary absence of Nehemiah, Tobiah succeeded, with the aid of his relative Eliashib, the priest, in getting himself comfortably and splendidly established in 'a great chamber in the house of God' . But his glory was short-lived. Nehemiah returned, and caused him and his household-stuff to be ignominiously cast out of the temple. This is the last that we know of this member of that vile class who are ready and unscrupulous tools in the hands of their superiors for any dishonorable undertaking.