Nehemiah 2:10

“When Sanballat the Horonite, etc.] Who either presided at Horonaim, or sprung from thence, a city of Moab, (<231505>Isaiah 15:5) and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite; who was formerly a slave, but now raised, from a low mean estate, to be governor in the land of Ammon, though still a vassal of the king of Persia: heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there came a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel; to which the Moabites and Ammonites were always averse, and ever bore an hatred to Israel, and envied everything that tended to their happiness.”

“Sanballat the Horonite--Horonaim being a town in Moab, this person, it is probable, was a Moabite. Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite--The term used indicates him to have been a freed slave, elevated to some official dignity. These were district magistrates under the government of the satrap of Syria; and they seem to have been leaders of the Samaritan faction.”

“The name Sanballat is probably Babylonian the first element being the same which commences “Sennacherib,” namely, “Sin,” the moon-God, and the second balatu, “eminent” (?),which is found in the Assyrian name, Bel-balatu. As a Horonite, he was probably a native of one of the Bethhorons, the upper or the lower (see Joshua 16:3, Joshua 16:5; 2 Chronicles 8:5), and therefore born within the limits of the old kingdom of Samaria. Tobiah seems to have been an Ammonite slave, high in the favor of Sanballat, whom he probably served as secretary Nehemiah 6:17-19 and chief adviser. It grieved them - Compare Ezra 4:4-24; Ezra 5:6-17. The revival of Jerusalem as a great and strong city, which was…”

“Horonite - So called either, from the place of his birth or rule, which is supposed to be Horonaim, an eminent city of Moab. The servant - So called probably from the condition from which he was advanced to his present power and dignity: which also may be mentioned as one reason why he now carried himself so insolently, it being usual for persons suddenly raised from a low state, so to demean themselves. Nehemiah 2:12”

“2:10 Some of the local, non-Jewish officials were very displeased because rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem would change the balance of political power in favor of the Jews. • Sanballat was the main leader of opposition to Nehemiah’s rebuilding efforts. • the Horonite: He was probably from Upper or Lower Horon (Beth-horon, Josh 16:3), approximately 12 miles (19 kilometers) northwest of Jerusalem. Sanballat’s name might indicate that he was a descendant of the Assyrian people imported by Sargon II after the fall of Samaria (2 Kgs 17:24). A document discovered in Egypt indicates that he eventually became governor of Samaria in 408 BC.”

“Sanballat: Neh 2:19, Neh 4:1-3, Neh 4:7, Neh 6:1 Horonite: Isa 15:5; Jer 48:5, Jer 48:34 the servant: Pro 30:22; Ecc 10:7 the Ammonite: Neh 13:1 it grieved: Num 22:3, Num 22:4; Psa 112:10, Psa 122:6-9; Pro 27:4; Eze 25:6-8; Mic 7:9, Mic 7:10, Mic 7:16, Mic 7:17; Act 4:2, Act 5:24, Act 19:26, Act 19:27 there was come: Ezra 4:4-23 Nehemiah 2:11”

“When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite heard of his coming, it caused them great annoyance (להם ירע is strengthened by גּדולה רעה, as in Jon 4:1) that a man (as Nehemiah expresses himself ironically from their point of view) was come to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. Sanballat is called the Horonite either after his birthplace or place of residence, yet certainly not from Horonaim in Moab, as older expositors imagined ( Isa 15:5; Jer 48:34), since he would then have been called a Moabite, but from either the upper or nether Beth-horon, formerly belonging to the tribe of Ephraim ( Jos 16:3, Jos 16:5; Jos 18:13), and therefore in the time of Nehemiah certainly…”