Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.
The verse exposes that the opposition to Nehemiah worked through false friendship and plotting, with some Jews cooperating with his enemies. Tobiah's allies within reported his good deeds before Nehemiah while at the same time carrying Nehemiah's words out to Tobiah. Tobiah himself sent letters designed to put Nehemiah in fear. Alongside this, the enemies spread the accusation that Nehemiah intended to rebel against the Persian king and make himself king over Israel. These reports, letters, and accusations were aimed to intimidate Nehemiah, to confuse and discourage the builders, and to hinder and undermine the work on Jerusalem's wall.
The verse exposes that the opposition to Nehemiah worked through false friendship and plotting, with some Jews cooperating with his enemies. Tobiah's allies within reported his good deeds before Nehemiah while at the same time carrying Nehemiah's words out to Tobiah. Tobiah himself sent letters designed to put Nehemiah in fear. Alongside this, the enemies spread the accusation that Nehemiah intended to rebel against the Persian king and make himself king over Israel. These reports, letters, and accusations were aimed to intimidate Nehemiah, to confuse and discourage the builders, and to hinder and undermine the work on Jerusalem's wall.