Keraia
People

Tobiah

Tobiah was an Ammonite official who, along with Sanballat the Horonite, opposed Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

The name Tobiah means “Tobijah, the Lord is good”

MaleNehemiah's adversaryAmmonExile and Return eraOld Testament1 book15 verses

Summary

A man of the Ammonites living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Nehemiah 2:10; only referred to as Tobiah (טוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ); husband of Shecaniah's daughter; father of Jehohanan.

Glossary entries

Tobiah

Family members

Spouse

Shecaniah's daughter

Children

Jehohanan

Alternative names

Mentions

Includes 3 verses that refer to Tobiah without naming them, as “he”, “she”, or the subject of a verb.

  1. Nehemiah 2:10
    But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites.
  2. Nehemiah 2:19
    But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked us and ridiculed us, saying, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
  3. Nehemiah 4:3
    Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was beside him, said, “If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!”
  4. Nehemiah 4:7
    When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,
  5. Nehemiah 6:1
    When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—
  6. Nehemiah 6:12
    I realized that God had not sent him, but that he had uttered this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.
  7. Nehemiah 6:13Referred to, not named
    He had been hired to intimidate me so that I would sin by doing as he suggested, so they could give me a bad name in order to discredit me.
  8. Nehemiah 6:14
    O my God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat for what they have done, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who tried to intimidate me.
  9. Nehemiah 6:17
    Also in those days, the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters kept coming to them.
  10. Nehemiah 6:18Referred to, not named
    For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, since he was a son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.
  11. Nehemiah 6:19
    Moreover, these nobles kept reporting to me Tobiah’s good deeds, and they relayed my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
  12. Nehemiah 13:4
    Now before this, Eliashib the priest, a relative of Tobiah, had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God
  13. Nehemiah 13:5Referred to, not named
    …and had prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously stored the grain offerings, the frankincense, the temple articles, and the tithes of grain, new wine, and oil prescribed for the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, along with the contributions for the priests.
  14. Nehemiah 13:7
    …to return to Jerusalem. Then I discovered the evil that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah by providing him a room in the courts of the house of God.
  15. Nehemiah 13:8
    And I was greatly displeased and threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room.