But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
These adversaries didn't just mock Nehemiah's rebuilding efforts; they deliberately twisted his actions into an act of treason against the Persian king. By framing the building of Jerusalem's walls as a rebellion, they aimed to instill fear and provoke the king's wrath, hoping to halt the project by any means necessary. This highlights how opposition often seeks to misrepresent the work of God as a political threat.
But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh from receiving the king's approval and authorization to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, Nehemiah and the returning exiles face immediate opposition from powerful local leaders. These adversaries, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, mock their efforts and immediately question their loyalty to the Persian king, attempting to frame their legitimate rebuilding project as an act of rebellion. Their goal is to sow fear and distrust, hoping to stop the work before it truly begins.
Nehemiah faced more than just a grumpy neighbor; he was up against a coordinated effort. Who were these three men, and why were they so determined to stop him?
Nehemiah's adversaries weren't random individuals. We see a powerful alliance forming against him:
These men, coming from different regions and backgrounds, united with a shared goal: to undermine Nehemiah and halt the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Their opposition wasn't just personal; it was political and strategic, aimed at crushing the burgeoning restoration of Jewish influence.
How do people try to shut down progress when they can't stop it with force? This verse reveals their tactics: mockery and a dangerous accusation.
The opposition didn't just disagree with Nehemiah; they used psychological warfare.
Their Tactics:
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The opposition Nehemiah faced wasn't just personal; it was rooted in centuries of regional tensions, mixed populations, and political maneuvering, making the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls a sensitive political act in the eyes of local governors like Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Deportation
The northern kingdom of Israel falls to Assyria. Many Israelites are deported, and foreign peoples are resettled in the land, leading to a mixed population and the development of Samaritan identity.
c. 715 BC
Assyrian Resettlement in Samaria
Assyrian King Sargon II brings people from other parts of his empire to settle in Samaria, further mixing the population and potentially establishing Arabian communities.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The southern kingdom of Judah falls to Babylon. Jerusalem and its temple are destroyed, and the Judean elite are exiled, creating a deep sense of loss and a desire for restoration.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
Cyrus of Persia conquers Babylon, ushering in the Persian Empire and allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands.
457 BC
Artaxerxes I's Decree
King Artaxerxes I of Persia issues a decree potentially allowing Ezra to return to Jerusalem and reinforcing Jewish law, though opposition to Jewish rebuilding efforts already exists.
c. 445 BC— this verse
Nehemiah Arrives in Jerusalem
Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I, receives permission and resources to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild its walls.
This Psalm speaks of rulers of the earth conspiring and taking their stand against the Lord and his Anointed. Like Sanballat and his allies, these rulers plot and scheme, seeking to thwart God's plan and resist His authority, mirroring the opposition Nehemiah faced.
Ezra 4:4-5The adversaries here also attempt to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build. They hire counselors to thwart their plans, just as Sanballat and his group tried to undermine Nehemiah's work with mockery and threats.
2 Kings 18:17-35This passage describes Rabshakeh mocking Jerusalem and Hezekiah, questioning God's ability to deliver them and accusing them of rebellion against the Assyrian king. The taunts and accusations hurled at Nehemiah echo this earlier instance of spiritual warfare through ridicule and intimidation.
Nehemiah 4:1-3This immediately following passage details how Sanballat and Tobiah escalated their opposition from mockery to active planning to attack. It shows the progression from verbal contempt to concrete threats, highlighting the seriousness of the adversaries' intent.
Galatians 5:17This verse speaks of the flesh's desires being against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. The opposition Nehemiah faced from Sanballat and his group can be seen as a manifestation of this ongoing spiritual conflict between those who seek to honor God and those who oppose His work.
clarkeNehemiah 2:19: "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?"
Geshem the Arabian - Some chief of the Arabs contiguous to Samaria, who had joined with Sanballat and Tobiah to distress the Jews, and hinder their work. Will ye rebel against the king? - This they said in order to raise jealousies in the king's mind, and induc…
pooleNehemiah 2:19: "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?"
Geshem the Arabian; either the king’s lieutenant in Arabia, as Tobiah was among the Ammonites, and Sanballat among the Moabites; or rather, an Arabian by his birth. And it seems probable that both he, and Sanballat, and Tobiah were chief men or governors among…
These adversaries didn't just mock Nehemiah's rebuilding efforts; they deliberately twisted his actions into an act of treason against the Persian king. By framing the building of Jerusalem's walls as a rebellion, they aimed to instill fear and provoke the king's wrath, hoping to halt the project by any means necessary. This highlights how opposition often seeks to misrepresent the work of God as a political threat.
Fresh from receiving the king's approval and authorization to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, Nehemiah and the returning exiles face immediate opposition from powerful local leaders. These adversaries, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, mock their efforts and immediately question their loyalty to the Persian king, attempting to frame their legitimate rebuilding project as an act of rebellion. Their goal is to sow fear and distrust, hoping to stop the work before it truly begins.
Fresh from receiving the king's approval and authorization to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, Nehemiah and the returning exiles face immediate opposition from powerful local leaders. These adversaries, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, mock their efforts and immediately question their loyalty to the Persian king, attempting to frame their legitimate rebuilding project as an act of rebellion. Their goal is to sow fear and distrust, hoping to stop the work before it truly begins.
"But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”" — These adversaries didn't just mock Nehemiah's rebuilding efforts; they deliberately twisted his actions into an act of treason against the Persian king. By framing the building of Jerusalem's walls a…
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Last reviewed October 2026