Sanballat
Summary
A Horonite official who persistently opposed Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
☩Identity and Origin
Sanballat the Horonite was probably a native of Horonaim in Moab. He held some civil or military command in Samaria under the Persian king Artaxerxes. From the moment of Nehemiah's arrival in Judea in 445 BC, Sanballat set himself to oppose every measure for the welfare of Jerusalem.
☩Opposition to Nehemiah
Sanballat's companions in his hostility were Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arabian. Together they mocked, threatened, and plotted against the Jews rebuilding the walls. Their opposition is detailed in Nehemiah 6, where their enmity is displayed in the strongest terms. They attempted to lure Nehemiah into a trap by proposing meetings in the plain of Ono, and even tried to frighten him with false reports.
☩Marriage Alliance
The only other recorded incident involving Sanballat was his alliance with the high priest's family through the marriage of his daughter to one of the grandsons of Eliashib. Nehemiah promptly expelled this son of Joiada from the priesthood because of this forbidden union. This illustrates that whenever God has work in progress, opposition arises to hinder it.
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Sanballat," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Sanballat," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).