Boy Old Testament Known
Sanballat
bramble-bush; enemy in secret
סַנְבַלַּט
Sanballat (Hebrew: סַנְבַלַּט) means “bramble-bush; enemy in secret”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 10 verses across 1 book of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears in the same passages as Arah.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
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Sanballat
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 10 across 1 book
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Return
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Nehemiah 2:10 |
| Last appears | Nehemiah 13:28 |
| Cross-references | 255 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Tobiah co-occurrence Appears with Tobiah in Nehemiah 6.
- Geshem co-occurrence Appears with Geshem in Nehemiah 6.
- Joiada co-occurrence Appears with Joiada in Nehemiah 13.
- Noadiah co-occurrence Appears with Noadiah in Nehemiah 6.
- Eliashib co-occurrence Appears with Eliashib in Nehemiah 13.
- Arah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Arah.
Origin & meaning
Sanballat was the governor of Samaria who opposed Nehemiah's efforts to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
The biblical story
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.
Key verses
Sanballat appears in 10 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
-
When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
Nehemiah 2:10 -
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 -
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.
Nehemiah 4:1 -
But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
Nehemiah 4:7 -
Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;)
Nehemiah 6:1
Show all 10 references
Nehemiah (10)
- Nehemiah 2:10
- Nehemiah 2:19
- Nehemiah 4:1
- Nehemiah 4:7
- Nehemiah 6:1
- Nehemiah 6:2
- Nehemiah 6:5
- Nehemiah 6:12
- Nehemiah 6:14
- Nehemiah 13:28