Moreover in those days many letters were sent by the principal men of the Jews to Tobias, and from Tobias there came letters to them.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobijah, and those of Tobijah came to them.

Also, in those days the freemen of Judah are multiplying their letters going unto Tobiah, and those of Tobiah are coming in unto them;

And further, in those days the chiefs of Judah sent a number of letters to Tobiah, and his letters came to them.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them.

But also, in those days, many letters were being sent by the nobles of the Jews to Tobiah, and were arriving from Tobiah to them.

The nobles of Judah sent many letters - The circumstances marked in this and the following verses show still more clearly the difficulties which Nehemiah had to encounter; he had enemies without and false friends within. A treacherous correspondence was carried on between the nobles of Judah and the Ammonites; and had almost any other man been at the head of the Jewish affairs, Jerusalem had never been re-established.

Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many (k) letters unto Tobiah, and [the letters] of Tobiah came unto them.
(k) Thus the Church of God always has enemies within itself, which is more dangerous than outward and professed enemies.

Moreover, in those days,.... While the wall was building:
the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them; letters passed between them frequently, they informing him how things went on at Jerusalem, and he advising them to what was detrimental to the true interest of their nation; such false friends had Nehemiah about him, and yet the work succeeded under him; which showed it the more to be of God.

To this Nehemiah adds the supplementary remark, that in those days even nobles of Judah were in alliance and active correspondence with Tobiah, because he had married into a respectable Jewish family.

"Also in those days the nobles of Judah wrote many letters (אגּרתיהם מרבּים, they made many, multiplied, their letters) passing to Tobiah, and those of Tobiah came to them."