Nehemiah 6:17

Neh 6:17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came unto them.

Ver. 17. Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah] Heb. The white ones; either, because they went in white garments, as Joseph, Mordecai, &c., or because they were illustrious and famous for wisdom and virtue. But in these nobles of Judah was nomen inane, crimen immune. Here was sedes prima, vita ima, dignitas in indigno; hoc est, ornamentum in lute, white garments they might have, but with sooty souls, and black manners.

Sent many letters unto Tobiah] Heb. Multiplied their letters (or packets), walking to Tobiah, with whom thereby they held correspondency; as at this day they do with the Turkish viziers and bashaws of state, giving them continual intelligence of the affairs of Christendom, and advising most of that mischief which the Turk puts in execution against us.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Neh 6:17-18. The nobles of Judah sent many letters unto Tobiah — Corresponding with him against Nehemiah, and against their own city and nation. So that, added to all the other wickedness of this people, there were false brethren among their great men, who favoured, aided, and abetted the designs of their enemies, Neh 6:18. There were many in Judah sworn unto him — To be true to him in the prosecution of his wicked designs. Because his son had taken the daughter of Meshullam — This is mentioned to show the mischief of such unequal and forbidden marriages, and how reasonable and necessary Ezra’s action was in the dissolution of them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To this Nehemiah adds the supplementary remark, that in those days even nobles of Judah were in alliance and active correspondence with Tobiah, because he had married into a respectable Jewish family.

Neh 6:17

"Also in those days the nobles of Judah wrote many letters (אגּרתיהם מרבּים, they made many, multiplied, their letters) passing to Tobiah, and those of Tobiah came to them."

Neh 6:18

For many in Judah were sworn unto him, for he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken (to wife) the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. In this case Tobiah was connected with two Jewish families, - a statement which is made to confirm the fact that many in Judah were שׁבוּעה בּעלי, associates of an oath, joined to him by an oath, not allies in consequence of a treaty sworn to (Bertheau). From this reason being given, we may conclude his affinity by marriage was confirmed by an oath. Shecaniah ben Arah was certainly a respectable Jew of the race of Arah, Ezr 2:5. Meshullam ben Berechiah appears among those who shared in the work of building, Neh 3:4 and Neh 3:30. According to Neh 13:4, the high priest Eliashib was also related to Tobiah. From the fact that both Tobiah and his son Jehohanan have genuine Jewish names, Bertheau rightly infers that they were probably descended from Israelites of the northern kingdom of the ten tribes. With this the designation of Tobiah as "the Ammonite" may be harmonized by the supposition that his more recent or remote ancestors were naturalized Ammonites.

Neh 6:19

"Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him." טּובתיו, the good things in him, or "his good qualities and intentions" (Bertheau). The subject of the sentence is the nobles of Judah. לו מוציאים, they were bringing forth to him. On this matter Bertheau remarks, that there is no reason for assuming that the nobles of Judah endeavoured, by misrepresenting and distorting the words of Nehemiah, to widen the breach between him and Tobiah. This is certainly true; but, at the same time, we cannot further infer from these words that they were trying to effect an understanding between the two, and representing to Nehemiah how dangerous and objectionable his undertaking was; but were by this very course playing into the hands of Tobiah. For an understanding between two individuals, hostile the one to the other, is not to be brought about by reporting to the one what is the other's opinion of him. Finally, Nehemiah mentions also that Tobiah also sent letters to put him in fear (יראני, infin. Piel, like Ch2 32:18; comp. the participle above, Neh 6:9 and Neh 6:14). The letters were probably of similar contents with the letter of Sanballat given in Neh 6:6.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

Thus the Church of God hath evermore enemies within itself, which are more dangerous than the outward and professed enemy.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 17. The nobles of Judah sent many letters] The circumstances marked in this and the following verses show still more clearly the difficulties which Nehemiah had to encounter; he had enemies without and false friends within. A treacherous correspondence was carried on between the nobles of Judah and the Ammonites; and had almost any other man been at the head of the Jewish affairs, Jerusalem had never been re-established.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(17) Many letters.—There was a large correspondence between Tobiah and the nobles of Judah.

(17-19) A supplementary account is here introduced, explaining the intrigues within Jerusalem to which reference has been made.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

17. in those days] i.e. during the whole of this period a treasonable correspondence was carried on between Tobiah and the disaffected Jewish nobles. That these included the family of the High-priest is rendered probable by Chap. Neh_13:4.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Moreover, in those days,.... While the wall was building:

the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them; letters passed between them frequently, they informing him how things went on at Jerusalem, and he advising them to what was detrimental to the true interest of their nation; such false friends had Nehemiah about him, and yet the work succeeded under him; which showed it the more to be of God.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Corresponding with him against Nehemiah, and against their own city and nation.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

17. The nobles of Judah… letters unto Tobiah — This secret correspondence between some of the nobles and Tobiah shows still more clearly the fearful embarrassments of Nehemiah. The enemy not only bribed some of the prophets, but also some of the nobles, to act the part of traitors. Neh_6:12; Neh_6:14.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Moreover in those days. Ewald supposes that the circumstances here related (vers. 17-19) were subsequent to the completion of the wall ("History of Israel," vol. 5. p. 157); but the expression "in those days" seems rather to throw back the events into the time during which the wall was in building. The passage is a sort of explanatory note, showing us how Tobiah came to be able to raise those intrigues inside Jerusalem which have been mentioned in vers. 12-14. And the letters of Tobiah came unto them. Rather, "and many were the letters of Tobiah which came to them."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Tobiah

(See Scofield "Neh 2:10").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

sent many letters

The nobles sent messengers to bring these letters to Tobiah. AT: "sent many messengers with letters" (See: Metonymy)

Tobiah's letters came

Here Tobiah's letters are personified as coming by themselves, when they were actually brought by messengers. AT: "Tobiah sent letters" or "Tobiah sent many messengers with letters" (See: Personification)

Tobiah

See how you translated this man's name in Nehemiah 2:10. (See: How to Translate Names)

who were bound by an oath to him

This speaks of people being loyal to Tobiah because they had pledged an oath to him as if their oath were a rope that bound their bodies. AT: "who had sworn an oath to him" or "who had made an oath and were loyal to him" (See: Metaphor)

he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah

This means that Tobiah was married to the daughter of Shecaniah. See how you translated "Shecaniah" in Nehemiah 3:29. (See: How to Translate Names)

Arah ... Jehohanan

These are the names of men. (See: How to Translate Names)

Meshullam ... Berechiah

These are the names of men. See how you translated this in Nehemiah 3:4. (See: How to Translate Names)

They also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him

"The Jewish nobles told me about Tobiah's good deeds and then told him about my responses"

Letters were sent to me from Tobiah

This can be stated in active form. Tobiah sent messengers to bring the letters to Nehemiah. AT: "Tobiah sent letters to me" or "Tobiah sent messengers to bring letters to me" (See: Active or Passive and Metonymy)

translationWords

kingdom of Judah

epistle

oath

son

good

works

report

word

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

the rulers of Judea Heb. חֹרֵי, the princes of Judea.

to Tobiah Heb. עַל-טוֹבִיָה. He was a renegade Israelite.

and Tobiah’s i.e., Tobiah’s letters.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.