H2900 H2900
Tobiah/Tobijah — 'Yah is my good'; a Levite teacher, Nehemiah's Ammonite adversary, and other biblical figures
Toviyyah (Tobiah) or its longer form Toviyyahu (Tobijah) is a theophoric name meaning 'YHWH is my good,' combining tov ('good') with the divine name. Its 18 occurrences identify at least four distinct individuals across different periods of Israelite history. The most memorable is the Ammonite official Tobiah, Nehemiah's persistent adversary who mocked, plotted, and intrigued against the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls (Neh 2:10, 19; 3:35; 4:1; 6:1, 12, 14, 17, 19; 13:4, 7-8). Tobiah's extensive network of Jewish marriage alliances and his occupation of a chamber in the temple precincts made him a particularly dangerous opponent — Nehemiah physically threw his household goods out of the temple storeroom. A Levite named Tobijah was among those sent by King Jehoshaphat to teach the law in the cities of Judah (2 Chr 17:8). Ezra 2:60 (= Neh 7:62) records a family of Tobiah among returning exiles who could not prove their Israelite lineage. Zechariah 6:10, 14 mentions a Tobijah among exiles whose silver and gold were used for a symbolic crown. Spanish 'Tobias,' French 'Tobija,' and German 'Tobija' are standard renderings.
Senses
1. Tobiah/Tobijah (proper name) — A theophoric proper name meaning 'Yah(u) is my good,' identifying several Old Testament figures. Most prominently, the Ammonite official Tobiah who relentlessly opposed Nehemiah's rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls through mockery, conspiracy, and political intrigue (Neh 2:10, 19; 3:35; 4:1; 6:1, 12, 14, 17, 19; 13:4, 7-8) — his influence extended so far that he had secured a chamber within the temple itself, which Nehemiah expelled him from. Also a Levite teacher dispatched by Jehoshaphat (2 Chr 17:8), a clan of returning exiles with uncertain genealogy (Ezra 2:60 = Neh 7:62), and an exile whose precious metals were fashioned into a symbolic crown in Zechariah's vision (Zech 6:10, 14). The name's hopeful theology — 'YHWH is my good' — stands in ironic tension with its most famous bearer's role as antagonist to God's restoration work. 18×
AR["طوبِيّا", "طُوبِيَّا", "لِ-طوبِيّا", "لِطُوبِيَّا", "وَ-طوبِيّا", "وَ-طُوبِيَّا", "وَطُوبِيَا", "وَلِطُوبِيَّا"]·ben["-টোবিয়ের", "-টোবিয়ের-জন্য", "আর-টোবিয়", "এবং-টোবিয়া", "এবং-টোবিয়ের-জন্য", "ও-টোবিয়", "ও-টোবিয়কে", "টোবিয়", "টোবিয়কে", "টোবিয়ের", "টোবিয়ের-কাছে", "তোবিয়ার"]·DE["Tobija", "[וטוביהו]", "und-Tobija", "und-zu-Tobija", "zu-Tobija"]·EN["Tobiah", "Toviyah", "and-Tobiah", "and-Tobijah", "and-from-Yedayah", "and-to-Toviyah", "for-Toviyah", "to-Tobiah", "to-Toviyah"]·FR["Tobija", "bon", "et-Tobija", "et-bon", "pour-Tobija"]·heb["ו-טביה ׀", "ו-טוביה", "ו-טוביהו", "ו-ל-טוביה", "טוביה", "ל-טוביה"]·HI["और-के-लिए-तोबीयाह", "और-टोबियाह", "और-तोबिय्याह", "और-तोबिय्याह-ने", "और-तोबीया", "टोबियाह", "टोबियाह-के", "टोबियाह-को", "तोबिय्याह-का", "तोबिय्याह-के-लिए", "तोबिय्याह-से", "तोबीयाह", "तोबीयाह-के"]·ID["Tobia", "bagi-Tobia", "dan-Tobia", "dan-untuk-Tobia", "dari-Tobia", "tentang-Tobia"]·IT["Tobia", "[ולטוביה]", "[טוביה]", "e-Tobia", "per-Tobia"]·jav["Lan-Tobiya", "Tobia", "dhateng-Tobia", "kaliyan-Tobia", "kangge-Tobia", "kanggé-Tobia", "lan-Tobia", "lan-Tobiya", "lan-tumrap-Tobia"]·KO["그리고-도비야", "그리고-도비야가", "그리고-도비야와", "그리고-에게-토비야", "도비야", "도비야-에게", "도비야가", "도비야와", "도비야의", "에-도비야를-위하여", "에-도비야에게", "토비야와"]·PT["Toviyah", "Toviyyah", "de-Toviyah", "e-Toviyah", "e-Toviyahu", "e-para-Toviyyah", "para-Toviyah"]·RU["Товии", "Товийи", "Товийяху", "а-Товийяху", "для-Товийи", "и-Товийаху", "и-Товийи", "и-Товийяху", "о-Товийяху", "от-Товийяху"]·ES["Tobías", "Y-Tobías", "a-Tobías", "de-Tobías", "para-Tobías", "y-Tobías", "y-Toviyahu", "y-para-Tobías"]·SW["Tobia", "Tobiya", "kwa-Tobiya", "na-Tobia", "na-Tobiya", "na-kwa-Tobia"]·TR["Tobiya", "Tobiya'ya", "Toviya'nın", "Toviya'ya", "Toviya-", "Toviya-için", "Toviyanin", "ve-Tobiya", "ve-Toviya-için", "ve-Toviyahu"]·urd["اور-طوبیاہ", "اور-طوبیاہ-کے-لیے", "اور-طوبیّاہو", "طوبیاہ", "طوبیاہ-کو", "طوبیاہ-کے", "طوبیاہ-کے-لیے"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† טוֹבִיָּ֫הוּ, טוֹבִיָּה n.pr.m. (Yah(u) is my good)— 1. טוֹבִיָּהוּ a Levite, assigned to reign of Jehoshaphat 2 Ch 17:8, not 𝔊; 𝔊L Τωβιας, elsewhere טוֹבִיָּה 𝔊 Τωβια(ς). 2. Ammonite adversary of Nehem. Ne 2:10, 19; 3:35; 4:1; 6:1, 12, 14, 17(×2), 19; 13:4, 7, 8. 3. head of a family of returning exiles of doubtful lineage Ezr 2:60 = Ne 7:62. 4. a chief of returning exiles Zc 6:10, 14, 𝔊 χρησίμων (-μοις) αὐτῆς, i.e. טוֹבֶיהָ.