Sanballat

Sanballat is a prominent figure mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the books of Nehemiah and Ezra. He is consistently identified as a "Samaritan" or "governor of Samaria." His primary role in the biblical narrative is that of an antagonist to the Jewish returnees to Jerusalem.

Sanballat's opposition to the Jews is most notably recorded in the Book of Nehemiah, where he, along with Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arab, attempts to obstruct the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem under the leadership of Nehemiah. They repeatedly send messages to Nehemiah, inviting him to meetings in the plain of Ono, which Nehemiah interprets as attempts to harm him. Sanballat and his allies also spread rumors and incite opposition among the surrounding peoples.

The historical context of Sanballat's actions likely stems from the political and religious tensions of the post-exilic period. The Samaritans, who had their own religious traditions and a temple on Mount Gerizim, may have viewed the re-establishment of Jerusalem as a rival center of worship and power with suspicion and hostility. While the Bible presents Sanballat as a determined adversary, his specific motivations and the full extent of his political influence remain subjects of scholarly discussion. Some non-biblical evidence, such as the Elephantine papyri, mentions a "Sanballat, governor of Samaria," which provides an external corroboration of his existence and position, though the exact relationship between this figure and the biblical Sanballat is debated by some scholars.