Sanballat

San-bal´at

The governor of Samaria in the latter half of the fifth century BCE and one of the chief opponents of Nehemiah’s plan to rebuild Jerusalem. Sanballat conspired with Tobiah, governor of Ammon, and Geshem, king of Kedar, to intimidate the Jews and interrupt the work (Neh 2:10; Neh 2:19). As the walls neared completion, they authorized raids on the city (Neh 4:1-2) and, accusing Nehemiah of planning a rebellion against Persian rule, repeatedly summoned him to account for his actions (Neh 6:1-7).