Sanballat סַנְבַלַּט
Governor of Samaria, opposed Nehemiah's rebuilding of Jerusalem
Who is Sanballat in the Bible?
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria who actively opposed Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem during the postexilic period (Nehemiah 2:10, 19; 4:1-7). When Sanballat learned of Nehemiah's arrival to oversee the reconstruction, he became deeply disturbed and, along with allies like Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arab, mocked and ridiculed the Jewish workers (Nehemiah 2:19; 4:1-3). As the wall neared completion, Sanballat's opposition intensified into active plots to attack Jerusalem and lure Nehemiah away from the city to harm him, though these schemes ultimately failed (Nehemiah 4:7-8; 6:1-2). His resistance represents one of the primary obstacles to the restoration of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile, making him a significant figure in the narrative of Jewish reconstruction and resilience. Sanballat's historical existence is confirmed by references in ancient Aramaic papyri, establishing him as an actual administrative figure of the period.
Biography
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria during the time of Nehemiah, who led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem (Neh.2.10, 19). When Sanballat heard that Nehemiah had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel, he was deeply disturbed (Neh.2.10). Along with Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arab, Sanballat mocked and ridiculed the Jews' efforts to rebuild the wall (Neh.2.19; 4.1-3). When the wall was being built, Sanballat became furious and plotted with others to attack Jerusalem and create confusion (Neh.4.7-8). Despite these threats, Nehemiah and the people continued to work on the wall, setting up guards to protect against potential attacks (Neh.4.9-23). Sanballat, along with Tobiah and Geshem, tried to lure Nehemiah away from the city to harm him, but Nehemiah refused to meet with them (Neh.6.1-4). They also accused Nehemiah of rebelling against the king of Persia, but Nehemiah denied these allegations (Neh.6.5-9). Later, Nehemiah discovered that one of the priests, Eliashib, had allied himself with Tobiah and prepared a room for him in the courts of the house of God (Neh.13.4-7). Nehemiah also learned that one of Eliashib's grandsons had married Sanballat's daughter, and he drove him away (Neh.13.28). Throughout the book of Nehemiah, Sanballat is portrayed as a persistent enemy who sought to hinder the rebuilding of Jerusalem and undermine Nehemiah's leadership.
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In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentNehemiah 5 verses
- Nehemiah 2:10
"But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard about this, they were deeply disturbed that someone had come to seek the well-being of the Israelites."
Study Nehemiah → - Nehemiah 2:19
"But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked us and ridiculed us, saying, “What is this you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”"
Study Nehemiah → - Nehemiah 4:1
"Now when Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he was furious and filled with indignation. He ridiculed the Jews"
Study Nehemiah → - Nehemiah 4:7
"When Sanballat and Tobiah, together with the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites, heard that the repair to the walls of Jerusalem was progressing and that the gaps were being closed, they were furious,"
Study Nehemiah → - Nehemiah 6:1
"When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left—though to that time I had not yet installed the doors in the gates—"
Study Nehemiah →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | סַנְבַלַּט |
Sanballat
e of Horonaim, a city of Moab mentioned in Isa 15:5; Jer 48:2,5,34; Josephus, Ant, XIII, xxiii; XIV, ii. He is named along with Tobiah, the Ammonite slave (Ne 4:1), and Geshem the Arabian (Ne 6:1) as the leading opponent of the Jews at the time when Nehemiah undertook to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (Ne 2:10; 4:1; 6:1). He was related by marriage to the son of Eliashib, the high priest at the time of the annulment of the mixed marriages forbidden by the Law (Ne 13:28).
Renewed interest has been awakened in Sanballat from the fact that he is mentioned in the papyri I and II of Sachau (Die aramaischen Papyrusurkunden aus Elephantine, Berlin, 1908, and in his later work, Aramaische Papyrus und Ostraka, Leipzig, 1911; compare Staerk's convenient edition in Lietzmanns Kleine Texte, Number 32, 1908) as having been the governor (pachath) of Samaria some time before the 17th year of Darius (Nothus), i.e. 408-407 BC, when Bagohi was governor of Judah. His two sons, Delaiah and Shelemiah, received a letter from Jedoniah and his companions the priests who were in Yeb (Elephantine) in Upper Egypt. This letter contained information concerning the state of affairs in the Jewish colony of Yeb, especially concerning the destruction of the temple or synagogue (agora) which had been erected at that place.
The address of this letter reads as follows: "To our lord Bagohi, the governor of Judea, his servants Jedoniah and his companions, the priests in the fortress of Yeb (Elephantine). May the God of Heaven inquire much at every time after the peace of our lord and put thee in favor before Darius the king," etc. The conclusion of the letter reads thus: "Now, thy servants, Jedoniah and his companions and the Jews, all citizens of Yeb, say thus: If it seems good to our lord, mayest thou think on the rebuilding of that temple (the agora which had been destroyed by the Egyptians). Since it has not been permitted us to rebuild it, do thou look on the receivers of thy benefactions and favors here in Egypt. Let a letter with regard to the rebuilding of the temple of the God Jaho in the fortress of Yeb, as it was formerly built, be sent from thee. In thy name will they offer the meal offerings, the incense, and the burnt offerings upon the altar of the God Jaho; and we shall always pray for thee, we and our wives and our children and all the Jews found here, until the temple has been rebuilt. And it will be to thee a meritorious work (tsedhaqah) in the sight of Jaho, the God of Heaven, greater than the meritorious work of a man who offers to him a burnt offering and a sacrifice of a value equal to the value of 1,000 talents of silver. And as to the gold (probably that which was sent by the Jews to Bagohi as a baksheesh) we have sent word and given knowledge. Also, we have in our name communicated in a letter all (these) matters unto Delaiah and Shelemiah, the sons of Sanballat, governor of Samaria. Also, from all that has been done to us, Arsham (the satrap of Egypt) has learned nothing.
The 20th of Marcheshvan in the 17th year of Darius the king." Sanballat is the Babylonian Sin-uballit, "may Sin give him life," a name occurring a number of times in the contract tablets from the time of Nebuchadnezzar, Nabonidus, and Darius Hystaspis. (See Tallquist, Neubabylonisches Namenbuch, 183.)
R. Dick Wilson