en_tn_condensed/neh/06/17.md

# sent many letters

The nobles sent messengers to bring these letters to Tobiah. AT: "sent many messengers with letters" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# Tobiah's letters came

Here Tobiah's letters are personified as coming by themselves, when they were actually brought by messengers. AT: "Tobiah sent letters" or "Tobiah sent many messengers with letters" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-personification]])

# Tobiah

See how you translated this man's name in [Nehemiah 2:10](../02/09.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# who were bound by an oath to him

This speaks of people being loyal to Tobiah because they had pledged an oath to him as if their oath were a rope that bound their bodies. AT: "who had sworn an oath to him" or "who had made an oath and were loyal to him" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah

This means that Tobiah was married to the daughter of Shecaniah. See how you translated "Shecaniah" in [Nehemiah 3:29](../03/28.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# Arah ... Jehohanan

These are the names of men. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# Meshullam ... Berechiah

These are the names of men. See how you translated this in [Nehemiah 3:4](../03/03.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])

# They also spoke to me about his good deeds and reported my words back to him

"The Jewish nobles told me about Tobiah's good deeds and then told him about my responses"

# Letters were sent to me from Tobiah

This can be stated in active form. Tobiah sent messengers to bring the letters to Nehemiah. AT: "Tobiah sent letters to me" or "Tobiah sent messengers to bring letters to me" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-activepassive]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])