Sanballat the Horonite

Sanballat the Horonite, also known as Sanballat I, was a leader from Sameria who lived during the mid-to-late 5th century BC. He served as an official in the Achaemenid Empire. Sanballat is mainly known because he appeared in historical records and ancient writings, including the Elephantine papyri and ostraca and the Book of Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible.

He lived at the same time as Nehemiah, who was the governor of the Yehud province. Sanballat and his family are important figures because they help us understand life and politics in that ancient time. His story gives insight into the relationships between different groups and leaders in the region.

Etymology

In Hebrew, Sanballat's name is written as Sanḇallaṭ. Some old writers thought his name might mean "Sīn gave life" in an ancient language, referring to a moon god named Sīn. Over time, people sometimes mixed up this name with the word "sin" in English, which is not related at all. Others thought Sanballat might have been a title instead of a name.

Biblical account

Book of Nehemiah

Sanballat is mainly known from the Book of Nehemiah. He was one of the main opponents of Nehemiah, who was made governor of Judah to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and make religious changes. Sanballat was called "the Horonite," and some think this refers to a place called Huwara today. He worked with Tobiah the Ammonite and Geshem the Arabian, and his home was in the city of Samaria.

When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem to start rebuilding, Sanballat and his friends did not like it. They made fun of Nehemiah and asked if he was trying to go against the king. Nehemiah told them they had no right to be involved in Jerusalem. Tobiah tried to calm Sanballat by saying even a small animal could destroy the wall they were building. Nehemiah kept working quickly, while Sanballat tried to gather people to fight against Jerusalem.

Later, Sanballat and his friends asked Nehemiah to meet them in villages near Ono, but Nehemiah was too busy rebuilding. Sanballat also accused Nehemiah of making secret plans against Assyria, but Nehemiah said these were just made-up stories. Sanballat even tried to trap Nehemiah inside the Second Temple, but his plan did not work. With help and good planning, Nehemiah stayed safe from his enemies.

Book of Zechariah

Some people think that Sanballat's family had business deals with leaders in Jerusalem, like the grandson of a high priest named Joshua. This might be related to a dream in Zechariah 3, where a priest stands in front of an angel. This idea was first mentioned a long time ago by writers like Rav Pappa and Jerome, and later discussed by other Jewish writers such as David Kimhi, Rashi, and Moses ibn Ezra.

Josephus

The writer Josephus talked about Sanballat as if he lived later, during the time of Darius III in the 4th century BCE. But this may be a mix-up, as Josephus might have been thinking of one of Sanballat’s successors, like Sanballat II or Sanballat III. Josephus’s story is likely an old tale about how the Samaritan Temple on Mount Gerizim began. He mentions that Manasseh, who was the grandson of Eliashib, married a daughter of Sanballat. This marriage is said to have happened and led to the building of the temple.

Josephus (Antiquities xi. 7, § 2.)
Persian history
Darius III
Sanballat II
Samaritan Temple
Mount Gerizim

Elephantine papyri

In the Elephantine papyri and ostraca, Sanballat is said to have had two sons, Delaiah bar Sanballat and Shelemiah bar Sanballat. The Jews of Elephantine asked Sanballat's sons for help to rebuild the Temple at Elephantine, which had been damaged or destroyed by some people.

Modern research

Scholars think Sanballat came from an old family in Samaria, a land near ancient Israel. He became an important leader there before the time of Nehemiah. Sanballat believed people needed a special holy place to bring different groups together. He chose Mount Gerizim for this purpose. He brought a priest from Jerusalem to lead services there and built a temple dedicated to Yahweh, similar to the one in Jerusalem. Many Israelites who married people from Samaria moved to live there, which caused surprise in Jerusalem.

Main article: Baal

Main articles: Temple in Jerusalem