“Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.”
Nehemiah 6:17-19 ESV
Last time we got to see the result of all the rebuilders’ work: the wall was completed in 52 days and everyone surrounding Jerusalem knew God was the reason why. Today we see an almost aside in our story line of Tobiah’s influence during those 52 days.
“Many of the nobles…” The Hebrew for nobles is chor (properly, full) from the word charar (pure or white, from shining power of fire). We’ve seen this word noble before when looking at how the men of Tekoa jumped in to help with rebuilding the wall but their nobles would not.
While the Tekoite nobles refused to work, the leaders in Jerusalem did help rebuild – but were also sending letters to a man who had repeatedly tried to harm Nehemiah and sabotage the work.
So it seems as though, in multiple towns, those who were most required to act with dignity and lead the folk were doing just the opposite. Perhaps they had not experienced the definition of the root word for noble: charar – to burn.
It’s only when we’ve walked through the fire with the Goldsmith, allowing Him to begin the process of burning up what is not of His Spirit, that we will take up a mantle of leadership with integrity. Until then it is about us and our own interests. Servant leadership often is preceded by some scorching.
But no matter our personal experiences with the Goldsmith, if we have been put in a position of leadership – particularly civic leadership in which we help shape laws and regulations that affect others – may we have a healthy fear of God in how we lead. What we do to those under our influence we do to Him. How we affect image bearers matters to the Creator. Let’s be sober in how we flesh out our responsibilities.
Next in our verses we see the reason the nobles were communicating with Nehemiah’s enemy through letters: they were bound (baal – owner, married, master) by oath (shebuah – perjury, oath) to him. Two prominent leaders in the city of Jerusalem were related to Tobiah by marriage. First, Tobiah married Shecaniah’s daughter. We have seen Shecaniah before, back in the book of Ezra, as our reforming priest’s solitary grief at the state of the nation’s affairs becomes communal. Shecaniah was the one who spoke up and admitted the sin of the Jews.
And this Shecaniah (whose name means “Yah has taken up His abode”) was Tobiah’s father-in-law. Talk about divided loyalties. I think we don’t always understand the significance of family and oaths and blessings the way the ancient Jews did. To be bound by an oath in marriage was to unite two families in a way that does not make sense to those of us with an individualistic, Western mindset.
But let’s keep going. To top off Tobiah’s relational connection to Jerusalem, his son, Jehonahan, married the daughter of Meshullam, another influential leader in Jerusalem. Meshullam has shown up before in other verses as well, helping to rebuild the wall.
So, even though we may not be able to fully understand ancient eastern marriage and family ties, we do understand divided loyalties. To be bound by blood or oath to someone matters, if not traditionally then relationally. It is difficult to go against what someone you are related to is passionate about if, for example, it will make Thanksgiving dinner that much more tense. Or to publicly stand opposed to all that a relative holds dear will likely yield a resulting challenge.
But, friends, let me gently remind us our ultimate allegiance, the oath that matters most, is to One Who paid it all. We do not have to tie ourselves to lies or oppression or deceit even if we have relational ties to a person or family. When our main oath matters most He will give us discernment in navigating tricky relational waters. And making our allegiance to the Perfectly Faithful One primary helps make our secondary oaths to other humans that much more healthy.
The final part of our verse today spells out how the Jerusalem nobles were communicating with Tobiah: “they spoke of his good deeds (towb – beautiful) to me (paneh – before my face) and reported (yatsa – go out, come forth) my words to him.”
Or: they made sure Nehemiah knew all Tobiah’s beautiful deeds while at the same time reported everything Nehemiah said back to Tobiah.
“Tobiah’s friends and relatives acted as a Fifth Column. They attempted both to propagandize on behalf of Tobiah and to act as an intelligence system for him.” (source)
And meanwhile? “Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.” It seems as though those letters would come across as eerily accurate to Nehemiah. Almost as if someone was reporting all Nehemiah’s thoughts and plans back to Tobiah. Which makes me want us to put ourselves in Nehemiah’s shoes for a minute.
Imagine you had been given the task of rebuilding a wall and a slew of people joined you in the work. However, you knew many of them had ties to people who were directly opposed to the work. And you had a sneaking suspicion they were using those ties to undermine the work. How would you feel? Grateful for their help rebuilding? Or betrayed at their ties? Or both?
Yeah, probably both. It’s interesting to me that this section is mentioned. I guess when all is said and done, it helps us look back on this historical and spiritually significant event with some human compassion.
Who of us hasn’t dealt with competing loyalties? When multiple people come together with as many opinions and experiences, there are bound to be disagreements. And when there is a project to be completed everyone will want a say in the “how.”
So it’s likely best to go back to the basics in those times. Which seems to be what Nehemiah chose to do. To focus on the mission, maintain personal integrity, and aim to unite the people.
How about us? We who know Jesus don’t build walls (hopefully), but there are plenty of bridges to build and tables to set. Can we focus on the main mission of loving Him and loving people, keeping our personal integrity in tact, and seeking our common humanity with others?
If so we may just have stumbled upon a project worth our entire lives.