Sanballat

Sanballat was the governor of Samaria during the time of Nehemiah, who led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2:10, 19). When Sanballat heard that Nehemiah had come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel, he was deeply disturbed (Nehemiah 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 (Nehemiah 4:7-8). Despite these threats, Nehemiah and the people continued to work on the wall, setting up guards to protect against potential attacks (Nehemiah 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 (Nehemiah 6:1-4). They also accused Nehemiah of rebelling against the king of Persia, but Nehemiah denied these allegations (Nehemiah 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 (Nehemiah 13:4-7). Nehemiah also learned that one of Eliashib's grandsons had married Sanballat's daughter, and he drove him away (Nehemiah 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.