Tobiah טוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ
Ancestor of returned exiles unable to prove lineage
Biography
Tobiah is mentioned in Ezr.2.60 and Neh.7.62 as an ancestor of some of the returned exiles from Babylon who were unable to prove their Israelite lineage. These individuals were among the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, who sought to be registered as priests but were excluded because their names could not be found in the genealogical records. As a result, they were considered unclean and disqualified from serving as priests. The mention of Tobiah in this context highlights the importance of genealogical records in determining priestly eligibility and the challenges faced by some returning exiles in establishing their Israelite identity.
In Scripture
2 biblical books ; 2 with study contentEzra 1 verse Study available
- Ezra 2:60
"the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two."
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Nehemiah 1 verse Study available
- Nehemiah 7:62
"The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda: six hundred forty-two."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Strong's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | טוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ | H2900H |
Tobiah
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.
(2) The eponym of a family which returned with Zerubbabel, but could not trace its descent (Ezr 2:60; Ne 7:62).
R. Dick Wilson
(2) Tobias, Codex Alexandrinus Tobio the father (according to Josephus, grandfather) of HYRCANUS (which see) (2 M