Tobiah

Tobiah is a male given name of Hebrew origin, meaning “Yahweh is good.” In the Hebrew Bible, the name most notably refers to an Ammonite official who opposes Nehemiah during the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls in the 5th century BCE. Along with Sanballat the Horonite and Geshem the Arab, Tobiah appears as one of the principal opponents of the Persian-backed project to restore the city and its defenses.

In the Nehemiah narrative, Tobiah is depicted as hostile to the reconstruction, taunting the workers, questioning the project’s legitimacy, and conspiring to overturn progress. The text describes him using satire, threats, and machinations intended to frighten laborers and disrupt governance. He features in several episodes, including efforts to hinder the wall’s completion and to influence political-religious leaders.

A later Nehemiah passage records Tobiah as having allied with the high priest’s family and occupying a room within the temple precincts, illustrating the complex ties and tensions within the post-exilic community. Tobiah is not developed as a fully individualized character beyond these political and religious contests, and the name appears in varying transliterations such as Tobiyah.