And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah:
And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah:
Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied unto Tobiah,
Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who had been placed over the rooms of the house of our God, being a friend of Tobiah,
And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the chamber of the house of our God, was allied to Tobiah:
Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the rooms of the house of our God, being allied to Tobiah,
Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being allied unto Tobiah,
Eliashib the priest - Perhaps this was a different person from Eliashib the high priest; but there is no indubitable evidence that he was not the same. If he was high priest, he was very unfaithful to the high charge which he had received; and a reproach to the priesthood. He had married his grandson to Sanballat's daughter: this produced a connection with Tobiah, the fast friend of Sanballat; in whose favor he polluted the house of God, giving him one of the chambers for his ordinary residence, which were appointed for the reception of the tithes, oblations, etc., that came to the house of God.
The relations of Eliashib, the high priest Nehemiah 3:1, with Tobiah and Sanballat will account for the absence of any reference to him either in Nehemiah 8-10, or in Nehemiah 12:27-47.
The chamber - The entire outbuilding, or "lean-to," which surrounded the temple on three sides 1 Kings 6:5-10.
Allied - i. e, "connected by marriage." Tobiah was married to a Jewess Nehemiah 6:18, who may have been a relation of Eliashib; and his son Johanan was married to another Nehemiah 6:18, of whom the same may be said.
13:4 Eliashib — The high-priest.
Chamber — Of the chambers, the high-priest having the chief power over the house of God, and all the chambers belonging to it.
Tobiah — The Ammonite, and a violent enemy to God's people.