Sanballat is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the Hebrew name Sinballit (שִׁנְבַּלָּט), which means "Sin has forgiven" or "Moon of Bel." In the Book of Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible, Sanballat is depicted as a political opponent of Nehemiah, a governor of Persian Judea. He is described as a Horonite, which may refer to his origin from the region of Beth Horon, and is often associated with the Samaritans. Sanballat is known for his attempts to hinder the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, as recorded in the biblical narrative. In Arabic, the name is translated as Sanbalat (سنبلط), and in Greek, it appears as Sanballetos (Σανβαλλὰτ). The historical accuracy of Sanballat's depiction in the Bible is a subject of scholarly debate, with some historians suggesting that he may have been a governor of Samaria during the Persian period.
Topics referred to by the same term
Sanballat was the name of several governors of Samaria during the Achaemenid and Hellenistic periods:Sanballat the Horonite, or Sanballat I, governed in the mid- to late-5th century BCE; was a contemporary of Nehemiah Sanballat II, grandson of the former, governed mid-4th century BCE Sanballat III, governed around the time of Alexander the Great Sanballat IV Sanballat V