But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The enemies' great displeasure wasn't just about Nehemiah's presence, but specifically that he was a man who had come "to seek the welfare" of Israel. This highlights their deep-seated animosity—they were grieved not by an invasion or a political threat, but by the simple, even benevolent, intention of improving life for God's people. Their hatred was so profound that even the prospect of Israel's well-being caused them pain.
But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Nehemiah, having received the king's authorization and protection, travels to Jerusalem to assess the city's dilapidated walls. Upon his arrival, he secretly surveys the damage by night before revealing his intentions to the local Jewish leaders. This announcement sparks immediate opposition from Sanballat, the Persian governor of Samaria, and his associate Tobiah, a prominent Ammonite official, who are deeply troubled that someone has come to aid and potentially restore the people of Israel.
When Nehemiah arrived with a royal commission to help his people, certain powerful individuals were immediately angered. Their reaction reveals a deeper political and ethnic rivalry at play.
Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite weren't just random opponents; they were regional leaders whose own influence was threatened by Nehemiah's mission. Sanballat, likely the Persian governor of Samaria, saw Jerusalem's revival as a direct challenge to Samaria's dominance in the region.
Tobiah, an Ammonite official, also held a position of authority. The text notes he was once a "servant," possibly indicating he rose from a lower status, and his insolence might stem from this background. Both men likely viewed Nehemiah's arrival and his explicit goal of seeking "the welfare of the people of Israel" as a personal affront and a threat to their own standing and the status quo that favored them.
Nehemiah frames the reaction of Sanballat and Tobiah not just as annoyance, but as profound grief. What does this tell us about the nature of true animosity?
The verse states that Nehemiah's mission "grieved them exceedingly." This wasn't a minor irritation; it was a deep-seated pain. The commentaries suggest that this kind of hatred is so intense it causes suffering to the one who holds it.
Their grief stemmed from seeing "a man come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel." They were pained by the possibility of joy and prosperity for a people they despised. This illustrates a destructive form of malice where the enemy's happiness is the source of one's own misery. It's a hatred that consumes the hater.
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Understand the original words
ṭōbāh · Hebrew Noun
'Welfare' translates the Hebrew word 'shalom,' signifying peace, wholeness, prosperity, and relational harmony. It represents the well-being that God intends for His people and the restoration of their covenant status.
Yiśrāʾēl · Hebrew Proper Noun
'Israel' is the covenant name given to Jacob, denoting the chosen people of God. Throughout Scripture, it refers to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are recipients of God's promises and the agents of His mission in the world.
The opposition Nehemiah faced wasn't random; it stemmed from regional political rivalries. Sanballat and Tobiah saw Jerusalem's rebuilding as a direct challenge to Samaria's dominance and their own positions within the Persian administrative system.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem
The Babylonians conquer Jerusalem, destroy the Temple, and deport many inhabitants to Babylon. This event marks the end of Judean independence and a period of exile.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers the Babylonian Empire, leading to the Persian Empire. This new empire eventually allows Jewish exiles to return to their homeland.
516 BC
Second Temple Completed
Under Persian rule, the Jewish exiles who returned rebuild and complete the Second Temple in Jerusalem, signifying a return of worship but not political autonomy.
c. 445 BC— this verse
Nehemiah Appointed Governor
King Artaxerxes I appoints Nehemiah, his cupbearer, as governor of Judah, granting him permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls.
c. 444 BC
Opposition Arises
Sanballat the Horonite, governor of Samaria, and Tobiah the Ammonite, a high-ranking official, hear of Nehemiah's mission and are greatly displeased, seeing him as a threat to their influence.
This passage highlights the deep-seated animosity and historical conflict between the Jews and their neighboring peoples like the Ammonites and Moabites, mirroring the opposition Nehemiah faced from Tobiah.
Psalm 122:6-9This psalm expresses a longing for the peace and welfare of Jerusalem, directly contrasting with the deep grief Sanballat and Tobiah felt at the prospect of Israel's well-being.
Ezra 4:4-5This passage details similar opposition and discouragement faced by the Jews during earlier rebuilding efforts, showing a pattern of resistance from the surrounding peoples to any restoration of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah 4:1-3This passage immediately follows the verse in question and details the escalating anger and mockery from Sanballat and Tobiah, showing how Nehemiah's mission to seek the welfare of the people directly ignited their hostility.
Romans 8:7This New Testament verse speaks to the spiritual reality of the 'mind of the flesh' being hostile to God, which can be seen in the actions of Sanballat and Tobiah who were grieved by the 'welfare of the people of Israel' – a welfare aligned with God's purposes.
clarkeNehemiah 2:10: "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."
Sanballat the Horonite - Probably a native of Horonaim, a Moabite by birth, and at this time governor of the Samaritans under the king of Persia. Tobiah the servant - He was an Ammonite; and here, under the Persian king, joint governor with Sanballat. Some suppose that the Sanballat here mentioned wa…
ellicottNehemiah 2:10: "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."
(10) Sanballat the Horonite. —Satrap of Samaria under the Persians, whose secretary or minister was “Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite.” Sanballat was from one of the Beth-horons, which had been in Ephraim, and were now in the kingdom of Samaria. His name is seemingly Babylonian, while that of Tobiah…
The enemies' great displeasure wasn't just about Nehemiah's presence, but specifically that he was a man who had come "to seek the welfare" of Israel. This highlights their deep-seated animosity—they were grieved not by an invasion or a political threat, but by the simple, even benevolent, intention of improving life for God's people. Their hatred was so profound that even the prospect of Israel's well-being caused them pain.
Nehemiah, having received the king's authorization and protection, travels to Jerusalem to assess the city's dilapidated walls. Upon his arrival, he secretly surveys the damage by night before revealing his intentions to the local Jewish leaders. This announcement sparks immediate opposition from Sanballat, the Persian governor of Samaria, and his associate Tobiah, a prominent Ammonite official, who are deeply troubled that someone has come to aid and potentially restore the people of Israel.
Nehemiah, having received the king's authorization and protection, travels to Jerusalem to assess the city's dilapidated walls. Upon his arrival, he secretly surveys the damage by night before revealing his intentions to the local Jewish leaders. This announcement sparks immediate opposition from Sanballat, the Persian governor of Samaria, and his associate Tobiah, a prominent Ammonite official, who are deeply troubled that someone has come to aid and potentially restore the people of Israel.
"But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel." — The enemies' great displeasure wasn't just about Nehemiah's presence, but specifically that he was a man who had come "to seek the welfare" of Israel. This highlights their deep-seated animosity—they…
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Last reviewed October 2026