Verse 18
18. Many in Judah sworn unto him Pledged for relationship’s sake to advance Tobiah’s interests.
He was the son-in-law of Shechaniah This was, perhaps, one of those cases of marriage with the heathen which it had been the last recorded work of Ezra to annul. Ezra 10:0. A son of Elam who bore the name of Shechaniah (Ezra 10:2) had been the first to confess the people’s great trespass, and to propose reform, but it is altogether probable that some of the more noble Jews on the one hand, and families like that of Tobiah among the heathen, refused to co-operate in Ezra’s measures of reform. This would explain their treachery and hostility to Nehemiah and the mass of the Jews.
Arah Whose sons were among the first that came up from Babylon with Zerubbabel. Nehemiah 7:10; Ezra 2:5.
His son Johanan That is, Tobiah’s son.
Meshullam Who was one of the builders on the wall. Nehemiah 3:4. The treachery among the nobles was owing altogether to these intermarriages. Tobiah (Nehemiah 13:4) was also allied unto Eliashib the priest.
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