‘So the wall was finished in the twenty fifth (day) of (the month) Elul, in fifty two days.'
The wall was completed on the 25th day of Elul (in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes), fifty two days after the work commenced. It was a remarkable achievement, even granted that some part of the walls had only needed repairing. In consequence Jerusalem was once more a fortified city. The Jews could once again lift up their head in pride at what God had done. Their previous reproach had been removed.
‘And it came about, when all our enemies heard of it, that all the nations who were about us were afraid, and were much cast down in their own eyes, for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.'
And the consequence was that when the news reached the ears of their enemies as described in Nehemiah 4:7, all the nations over whom their enemies ruled were awestruck and felt demeaned, for they recognised that the work had been wrought by God, the very God Whom they had been decrying (Nehemiah 4:2). From Nehemiah's viewpoint they were humbled to think that Judah had such a great God.
The Fraternisation Of Many of The Jewish Aristocracy With Tobiah (Nehemiah 6:17-19).
It is quite clear from these verses that Tobiah must have had something to do with the Jewish aristocracy before the arrival of Nehemiah, (and we have already seen the influence that he had over some of the prophets) and the best explanation would be that he had previously been acting as deputy governor over Judah. This would explain his good relations with the Jewish aristocracy, and his hatred of Nehemiah who had made him redundant. It is the best explanation for the good feeling towards him among the aristocracy, and the fact that Meshullam had given his daughter to him as wife. Furthermore that good feeling must signify that he had not been a bad governor, at least as far as the Jewish aristocracy were concerned. As a syncretistic Yahwist, as his name shows, he had probably fallen in line with Jerusalem's way of worship, at least when he was in Judah.
Thus the Jewish aristocracy remained in communication with him, and he with them. And they also tried to recommend him to Nehemiah because of the good deeds he had done while acting governor of Judah. They seemingly saw Nehemiah's attitude towards him as unfortunate. They were probably unaware of things revealed to Nehemiah by his spy system, and by personal letters from Tobiah.
These same men had in the main worked assiduously on the wall. Meshullam the son of Berechiah, for example, is mentioned in Nehemiah 3:4; Nehemiah 3:30. He had possibly done a double stint. Thus they were apparently not antagonistic towards Nehemiah, although not agreeing with his strict attitude. They seemingly passed information both ways.
‘Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and (those) of Tobiah came to them.'
Here we learn that the nobles of Judah were in continual two way correspondence with Tobiah, presumably on a friendly basis.
‘For there were many in Judah sworn 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 to wife.'
And their friendliness was partly based on the fact that Tobiah had married into a respectable Jewish family, having become the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, one of the ‘sons of Arah' who had returned with Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel. Shecaniah must have been an important and influential man because Tobiah's relationship to him had resulted, presumably because he had been brought into the family, in many in Judah becoming sworn to him (unless this relates to trading relationships, or even sworn friendships). Tobiah had also ingratiated himself with Eliashib the high priest (Nehemiah 13:4). Furthermore Tobiah's own son, Jehohanan (whose name also indicates a nominal Yahwist) had married into the family of the influential Meshullam, son of Berechiah, the wall builder (Nehemiah 3:4 b, Nehemiah 3:30). He was thus well connected Jewishly speaking. It is possibly to his credit that, while he was not averse to making a fool of Nehemiah, he was not mentioned with respect to the attempt to do away with him (Nehemiah 6:2). But he had certainly been antagonistic towards Nehemiah from the beginning (Nehemiah 2:10). And strictly speaking, as an Ammonite, he was not acceptable as a true Yahwist (Nehemiah 13:1; Deuteronomy 23:3-5).
‘Also they spoke of his good deeds before me, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.'
The Jewish aristocrats praised Tobiah to Nehemiah, no doubt hoping to win him round. They also reported Nehemiah's words to Tobiah, which would certainly not win him round, and explains why Tobiah and Sanballat were so well informed about Jewish affairs. Tobiah, however, took a different attitude towards Nehemiah, sending him threatening letters. Nehemiah's position was therefore very difficult, as he sought to maintain working relations with the aristocrats, while at the same time dealing with Tobiah.