Tobiah (Hastings' Dictionary)
- 'I'lie eponym of a family which returned from exile, but could not trace their genealogy, Ezr 2** (B Tw/Sfid, A Tw/Jias, Luc. Tot;j3ias) = Neh 7"^ (BA Tu^id, Luc. Toi'/iias). 2. The Ammonite who, in conjunction with Sanballat and others, per- sistentlj- opposed the work of Nehemiah, Neh 2^"- " 4^-'' 6" 13^- » (Tai/3id, Tu/SIas). Eor details see art. Nehemiah. TOBIAS (Tu)3(e)toj, TwjSefs).- 1. The son of Tobit, To 1" and often ; see art. Tobit (Book of). 2. The father of HvitCANUS, 2 Mac 3".
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Tobiah
Tobiah to-bi'-a (Tobhiyah; Codex Alexandrinus Tobias; omitted in Codex Vaticanus): ⇒See a list of verses on TOBIAH in the Bible. (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 oversigh…
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Tobiah
(goodness of Jehovah). “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.) “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 2:10,19)—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.
Fausset's Bible Dictionary on Tobiah
TOBIAH or TOBIJAH ("goodness of Jehovah".) 1. A Levite employed by Jehoshaphat to teach the law in the cities of Judah (2Ch 17:8). 2. "The slave, the Ammonite." With Sanballat and Geshem tried by fair means and foul to thwart Nehemiah (Neh 2:10; Neh 2:19; Neh 6:17-18; Neh 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 (Neh 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" (Neh 13:1). Tobiah was notorious for contemptuous sarcasm (Neh 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…
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia