Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear. Jump to: Barnes • Benson • BI • Cambridge • Clarke • Darby • Ellicott • Expositor's • Exp Dct • Gaebelein • GSB • Gill • Gray • Guzik • Haydock • Hastings • Homiletics • JFB • KD • Kelly • King • Lange • MacLaren • MHC • MHCW • Parker • Poole • Pulpit • Sermon • SCO • TTB • WES • TSK EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE) (19) Reported his good deeds.—Besides the correspondence thus carried on. these nobles strove to exalt the character of Tobiah to tne governor, while they made the enemy acquainted with all that went on. This intelligence enabled him to write the disquieting letters which Nehemiah says he was in the habit of receiving.Nehemiah 6:19. Also, they reported his good deeds before me — To such a degree of impudence were they arrived, that they highly commended Tobiah as a very worthy man in the presence of Nehemiah, who knew so much of his wickedness. And uttered my words to him — Informed him of all I spake or did. We learn from the contents of this chapter, that pious people, especially those who labour for the glory of God, are exposed to many troubles and oppositions, not only from their declared enemies, who attack them with open force, or by craft and calumny, but also from those whom they look upon as their brethren. It appears also from the wise, steady, and pious conduct of Nehemiah, that those who labour for the public good ought never to be staggered by the threats and slanders of the wicked, because, with the blessing of God, who watches over them, they will happily overcome all opposition. and uttered my words to him; reported both what he said and did; for the word used signifies both words and actions: and Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear; perceiving, by the intelligence of his friends, that Nehemiah would have nothing to say to him, nor to do with him, he threatened him. EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES) 19. reported … uttered] R.V. spoke of … reported. The Hebrew gives the idea of continuous action. They endeavoured to convince Nehemiah that Tobiah’s professions of goodwill were sincere. Perhaps too they spoke of the generous way in which he distributed money among the Jews. On the other hand they communicated to Tobiah all that Nehemiah said and did, with the view of supplying him with material for charges against Nehemiah to be made before the Persian king, or for slanders to the Jewish people. The word for ‘His good deeds,’ or ‘virtues,’ (tôbôthâv) is perhaps a play on the name ‘Tobiah.’Tobiah … in fear] i.e. letters like that of Sanballat quoted above (Nehemiah 6:5-8). Verse 19. - Also they reported his good deeds, etc. Rather, "they even reported" - they went so far as to speak to me of his good actions, perhaps representing the bribes which he dispensed (ver. 12) as given from charitable motives. And they uttered my words, or "communicated my affairs, to him. They made him acquainted with all my proceedings. Nehemiah 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 2 Chronicles 32:18; comp. the participle above, Nehemiah 6:9 and Nehemiah 6:14). The letters were probably of similar contents with the letter of Sanballat given in Nehemiah 6:6. Links Nehemiah 6:19 InterlinearNehemiah 6:19 Parallel Texts Nehemiah 6:19 NIV Nehemiah 6:19 NLT Nehemiah 6:19 ESV Nehemiah 6:19 NASB Nehemiah 6:19 KJV Nehemiah 6:19 Bible Apps Nehemiah 6:19 Parallel Nehemiah 6:19 Biblia Paralela Nehemiah 6:19 Chinese Bible Nehemiah 6:19 French Bible Nehemiah 6:19 German Bible Bible Hub |