Sanballat (Nehemiah 2:9–10; Nehemiah 2:19–20; Nehemiah 4:1–3; Nehemiah 4:7–9; Nehemiah 6:1–4; Nehemiah 6:5–9; Nehemiah 6:10–14; Nehemiah 13:23–28)

The Horonite, Opponent of the Wall

Sanballat the Horonite, who was grieved when a man came to seek the welfare of Israel, mocked the builders of Jerusalem's wall with Tobiah and Geshem, conspired to fight against the city, sent to Nehemiah four times and then with an open letter, and is named again as father-in-law of a son of Joiada.

Sanballat appears only in the book of Nehemiah, where he is called “Sanballat the Horonite” (Nehemiah 2:10). When Nehemiah came with the king's letters, “it grieved them exceedingly, for that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel” (Nehemiah 2:10). When the people said, “Let us rise up and build” (Nehemiah 2:18), he, Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arabian “laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?” (Nehemiah 2:19).

As the wall rose, “he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews” (Nehemiah 4:1), speaking “before his brethren and the army of Samaria” (Nehemiah 4:2). When the breaches began to be stopped, he, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites “conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein” (Nehemiah 4:8). When the wall was built, Sanballat and Geshem sent to Nehemiah to meet in the plain of Ono. “But they thought to do me mischief” (Nehemiah 6:2). They sent four times, and the fifth time Sanballat's servant brought an open letter. Nehemiah also discerned that “Tobiah and Sanballat had hired” (Nehemiah 6:12) Shemaiah to frighten him (Nehemiah 6:12), and he prayed, “Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works” (Nehemiah 6:14).

He is named a last time at the end of the book, where “one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me” (Nehemiah 13:28). Scripture does not record his death.

Weaknesses

• Grieved at the welfare of Israel
• Scorn and mockery
• Wroth
• Conspired to fight
• Sought to do mischief
• Hired Shemaiah to make Nehemiah afraid

Themes

• Opposition to the work
• Mockery
• Conspiracy
• Letters and false report
• Nehemiah's prayer

Grieved at Nehemiah's coming (Nehemiah 2:9–10)

When Nehemiah comes with the king's letters, Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite are grieved exceedingly that a man has come to seek the welfare of Israel.

Scorn and the charge of rebellion (Nehemiah 2:19–20)

Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem laugh the builders to scorn and ask if they will rebel against the king; Nehemiah answers that the God of heaven will prosper them.

Scorn and the charge of rebellion

After Nehemiah told them of the hand of his God, the people said, “Let us rise up and build” (Nehemiah 2:18). “But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?” (Nehemiah 2:19).

Nehemiah answered them: “The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem” (Nehemiah 2:20).

Mockery and conspiracy (Nehemiah 4:1–3; Nehemiah 4:7–9)

Sanballat is wroth and mocks the Jews before his brethren and the army of Samaria; when the breaches begin to be stopped he and the others conspire to fight against Jerusalem, and Nehemiah's party prays and sets a watch.

Mockery and conspiracy

“When Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What are these feeble Jews doing? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day?” (Nehemiah 4:1-2). Tobiah the Ammonite was by him and added, “if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall” (Nehemiah 4:3).

Later, “when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem went forward, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth; and they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem, and to cause confusion therein” (Nehemiah 4:7-8).

“But we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them” (Nehemiah 4:9).

The invitation to Ono (Nehemiah 6:1–4)

When the wall is built, Sanballat and Geshem send to Nehemiah to meet in the plain of Ono; he answers that he is doing a great work, and they send four times.

The open letter (Nehemiah 6:5–9)

The fifth time Sanballat sends his servant with an open letter saying that Nehemiah and the Jews think to rebel; Nehemiah replies that there are no such things and asks God to strengthen his hands.

The open letter

“Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, wherein was written, It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the Jews think to rebel; for which cause thou art building the wall: and thou wouldest be their king” (Nehemiah 6:5-6). The letter ended, “Come now therefore, and let us take counsel together” (Nehemiah 6:7).

Nehemiah sent back: “There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart” (Nehemiah 6:8). Then he prayed, “But now, O God, strengthen thou my hands” (Nehemiah 6:9).

The hired prophet (Nehemiah 6:10–14)

Shemaiah urges Nehemiah to hide in the temple; Nehemiah refuses, discerns that Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him, and asks God to remember them.

The hired prophet

Shemaiah said to Nehemiah, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee” (Nehemiah 6:10). Nehemiah answered, “Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in” (Nehemiah 6:11).

“And I discerned, and, lo, God had not sent him; but he pronounced this prophecy against me: and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this cause was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me” (Nehemiah 6:12-13).

“Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works” (Nehemiah 6:14).

His son-in-law is chased away (Nehemiah 13:23–28)

Nehemiah contends with Jews who married foreign women and chases from him a son of Joiada, son of Eliashib the high priest, who was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite.

Nehemiah (Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 4:1–8; Nehemiah 6:1–9)

Grieved at his coming, he mocked the builders, conspired to fight against Jerusalem, and sent to Nehemiah with letters.

Tobiah the Ammonite (Nehemiah 2:10; Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 4:7–8; Nehemiah 6:12)

Named with Sanballat in being grieved, in scorning the builders, in the conspiracy to fight, and in hiring Shemaiah.

Geshem the Arabian (Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 6:1–2)

Joined in laughing the builders to scorn, and with Sanballat sent to draw Nehemiah to the plain of Ono.

Shemaiah the son of Delaiah (Nehemiah 6:10–13)

Pronounced a prophecy against Nehemiah; Nehemiah saw that God had not sent him and that Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

A son of Joiada (Nehemiah 13:28)

One of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite, and Nehemiah chased him away.

Major sections

• Nehemiah 2:10–20
• Nehemiah 4:1–9
• Nehemiah 6:1–14
• Nehemiah 13:28

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