Nehemiah 6 18

Nehemiah 6:18 kjv

For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

Nehemiah 6:18 nkjv

For many in Judah were pledged to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

Nehemiah 6:18 niv

For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.

Nehemiah 6:18 esv

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.

Nehemiah 6:18 nlt

For many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him because his father-in-law was Shecaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan was married to the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah.

Nehemiah 6 verses

Nehemiah 6 18 Meaning

Nehemiah 6:18 reveals a crucial internal challenge faced by Nehemiah: Many prominent individuals within Judah had sworn oaths of loyalty to Tobiah the Ammonite. This surprising allegiance stemmed from deep-seated family connections established through intermarriage. Tobiah was the son-in-law of Shecaniah, a significant figure, and Tobiah's own son, Jehohanan, had married the daughter of Meshullam, another influential Judean involved in the wall's rebuilding. These marital alliances forged strong kinship bonds and social commitments, creating a network of Jewish nobles whose loyalties were divided, compromising the purity of the community and undermining Nehemiah's leadership and the divine work of rebuilding. This verse explains why Tobiah maintained continuous communication and influence among the Jewish leaders, despite being an adversary.

Nehemiah 6 18 Context

Nehemiah 6 describes intensified opposition to Nehemiah's work of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Despite continuous plots, threats, and slanders from Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem, and other adversaries, Nehemiah steadfastly refused to abandon his divine mission or compromise with them. Verse 17 indicates that "the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them." Verse 18 then explains the underlying reason for this persistent communication and sympathetic internal network: Tobiah's marital alliances with prominent Judean families. This reveals that the opposition was not solely external but had a significant internal dimension due to compromised loyalties. The chapter culminates with the completion of the wall despite these relentless pressures, highlighting God's faithfulness and Nehemiah's integrity. The historical context is the post-exilic period (5th century BCE) in Judah, where the returning exiles sought to re-establish their religious and communal identity according to the Law, distinct from surrounding peoples, a mission constantly threatened by syncretism and ungodly alliances.

Nehemiah 6 18 Word analysis

• For many (כִּי־רַבִּים kī-rabbîm): The Hebrew term רַבִּים (rabbîm) means "many" or "much," indicating a significant, rather than isolated, number of individuals involved. This highlights the pervasive nature of the problem, suggesting a widespread internal compromise rather than just a few isolated cases. It underscores the severity of the threat Nehemiah faced, not only from without but also from within his own community.
• in Judah (בִּֽיהוּדָה bîhûdâ): This specifies that the compromised individuals were within the heartland of the returning exiles, the very community meant to uphold God's law. This points to the danger of internal decay and diluted spiritual distinctiveness. It's not just outsiders, but insiders, who are affected.
• were bound by oath (נִשְׁבְּעוּ לוֹ nišbᵉ'û lô): The verb נִשְׁבְּעוּ (nišbᵉ'û) is the Niph'al perfect of שָׁבַע (shava'), meaning "to swear, take an oath." In the Niph'al, it means "they swore themselves" or "they were sworn to." This emphasizes the solemn and binding nature of their commitment to Tobiah. Oaths in the ancient world were sacred, invoking divine witness, making their allegiance to an enemy of God's people particularly grave and a betrayal of their true covenant with the Lord.
• to him (לוֹ lô): The simple direct object pronoun clearly points to Tobiah the Ammonite, a known adversary of God's work in Jerusalem (Neh 2:10, 4:7). This directly contrasts their sworn allegiance to an opponent with their implicit covenant obligation to God and their own people.
• because he was the son-in-law (כִּֽי־חָתָן הֽוּא kī-ḥātān hû’): This clause provides the explicit reason for the binding oaths. The Hebrew word חָתָן (ḥātān) signifies a "son-in-law." Family ties established through marriage were incredibly strong and formed the basis for social and political alliances in ancient Near Eastern society. This specific form of relationship explains why prominent Judeans felt obligated to an enemy of their community's purity.
• of Shecaniah the son of Arah: Shecaniah belonged to a prominent family (listed in Ezra 2:5 among those who returned with Zerubbabel). Marrying his daughter to Tobiah, an Ammonite, was a direct violation of Mosaic Law forbidding intermarriage with foreign nations, especially those excluded from the assembly of the Lord (Deut 7:3-4, Neh 13:1). This indicates compromise at a high societal level.
• and his son Jehohanan (וִֽיהוֹחָנָן בְּנֽוֹ vîhôḥānān bᵉnô): This shows that the intermarriage problem was not a singular incident but an ongoing, generational practice. Tobiah's influence extended further through his own son's marital connections, strengthening the web of loyalties. The repetition emphasizes the entrenched nature of these unholy alliances.
• had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife: Meshullam was another significant figure involved in rebuilding the wall (Neh 3:4, 3:30). The act of "taking" (לָקַח lāqaḥ) a wife implies a formal, acknowledged marriage. His daughter marrying Tobiah's son further illustrates the depth of the spiritual and political compromise among Jerusalem's leadership and noble families. It suggests that individuals directly involved in the divinely commissioned rebuilding project were simultaneously intertwined with its adversaries.

• "For many in Judah were bound by oath to him": This phrase highlights the pervasive internal corruption and broken covenant. It signifies a collective failure within the community's leadership to prioritize divine allegiance over personal alliances. The issue was not external attack alone, but internal rot, weakening the core of the community.
• "because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah... and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam": This clause provides the precise mechanism of compromise. The interwoven network of marriages between Tobiah's family and influential Judean families demonstrates how personal, familial bonds and status superseded fidelity to God's law regarding separation from foreign nations. These alliances created conflicting loyalties that were detrimental to the nation's spiritual and physical well-being. It exposes how family self-interest and social ties can be a vehicle for sin and disloyalty to God's purposes.

Nehemiah 6 18 Bonus section

The pattern of powerful men forming strategic marriages that disregard God's law, as seen with Tobiah and these Judean nobles, is a recurring warning in biblical history, notably from Genesis 6 (sons of God marrying daughters of men), through the Kings (Solomon's wives), to Ezra and Nehemiah's reforms. The emphasis on "oath" highlights that these were not casual associations but formal, binding commitments, elevated even over the Law of Moses which forbade such unions. The inclusion of names like Shecaniah and Meshullam, who were part of the very fabric of the rebuilt community, amplifies the insidious nature of the internal threat. It underscores that spiritual decline often begins with quiet compromises within respected circles, gradually eroding the foundations of faith and integrity from the inside out, making the community vulnerable to outside enemies.

Nehemiah 6 18 Commentary

Nehemiah 6:18 pinpoints the root cause of much of the internal opposition and sustained communication Tobiah enjoyed within Jerusalem: strategic intermarriage with leading Judean families. These marital bonds led to solemn oaths, essentially creating a pro-Tobiah faction among the nobles of Judah. This verse underscores that the greatest threats to God's work often come not only from overt external enemies but from subtle, compromising alliances within the community itself. These unholy yokes corrupted leadership, diluted the purity of the returning remnant, and severely challenged Nehemiah’s God-given mission. It vividly illustrates how seeking human security or social advantage through forbidden relationships can undermine divine purposes and loyalties. For believers today, this serves as a potent reminder of the danger of unequal yoking and compromising affiliations that draw one away from absolute allegiance to Christ and His kingdom, particularly within leadership and spiritual community.