The term servant
need not make us think of Tobiah as a lowly slave. A servant to a king can be a high official. In this case, Tobiah wielded authority over Ammonite territory; in fact, the Tobiad family governed for many decades after Nehemiah’s day. The name Tobiah
means Yahweh is good.
From Nehemiah 6:18 we learn that he had a son named Jehohanan,
which means Yahweh is gracious.
These names would suggest that Tobiah was of Jewish parentage who treasured his Jewish heritage.
10 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.