4 figures
Governor of Judah and reformer of religious practices.
Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem to find that the people have fallen back into sin. He takes decisive action to restore the covenant, purify the temple, and enforce the Sabbath.
High Priest who compromised the sanctity of the temple.
Eliashib allowed Tobiah, an Ammonite, to use a room in the temple, violating the sanctity of the house of God.
Ammonite official and adversary of Nehemiah.
Tobiah, an enemy of Nehemiah, was given a room in the temple by Eliashib, which Nehemiah later cleansed.
Samaritan leader and opponent of Nehemiah.
Though not directly mentioned in this chapter, Sanballat's previous opposition is part of the broader context of Nehemiah's challenges.