Lexical Definition
טוֹבִיָּה Ṭôwbîyâh (to-bee-yaw') Tobijah N:N-M-P
or טוֹבִיָּהוּ Ṭôwbîyâhûw (tobee-yaw'-hoo); from טוֹב and יָהּ; goodness of Jehovah
Tobiah, Tobijah.
- § Tobiah = "Jehovah is good"
- Tobijah, the name of three Israelites and of one Samaritan
1) head of a family who returned from exile with Zerubbabel but who were unable to prove their connection with Israel
2) the Ammonite who with Sanballat opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem
3) a Levite in the reign of Jehoshaphat
4) a chief of the returning exiles
Extended Information
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.60
Brown-Driver-Briggs
טוֺבִיָּ֫הוּ, טוֺבִיָּה proper name, masculine (Yah(u) is my good) —
1. טוֺבִיָּהוּ a Levite, assigned to reign of Jehoshaphat 2Chr 17:8, not ᵐ5; ᵐ5L Τωβιας, elsewhere טוֺבִיָּה ᵐ5 Τωβια(ς).
2. Ammonite adversary of Nehem. Neh 2:10; Neh 2:19; Neh 3:35*; Neh 4:1*; Neh 6:1; Neh 6:12; Neh 6:14; Neh 6:17 (twice in verse); Neh 6:19; Neh 13:4; Neh 13:7; Neh 13:8.
3. head of a family of returning exiles of doubtful lineage Ezra 2:60 = Neh 7:62.
4. a chief of returning exiles Zech 6:10; Zech 6:14, ᵐ5 χρησίμων(‐μοις)αὐτῆς, i.e. טוֺבֶיהָ.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| 2 Chronicles | 17:8 |
| Ezra | 2:60 |
| Nehemiah | 2:10 · 2:19 · 3:35* · 4:1* · 6:1 · 6:12 · 6:14 · 6:17 · 6:19 · 7:62 · 13:4 · 13:7 · 13:8 |
| Zechariah | 6:10 · 6:14 |
Profile
Male • Returned from exile • Ancestor of returned exiles unable to prove lineage
Man living at the time of Exile and Return
Tobiah was an ancestor of some returned exiles who were unable to prove their Israelite lineage and were excluded from the priesthood.
- A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Ezr.2.60;
- only referred to as Tobiah טוֹבִיָּה.
Tobiah is mentioned in Ezra 2:60 and Nehemiah 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.
All entries for Tobiah: טוֹבִיָּה