It came to pass when King Artaxerxes in the twentieth year of his reign, granted to Nehemiah "according to the good hand of God," and he began rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, that the petty king Sanballat set up an opposition to every measure for the welfare of the ruined city.

      Sanballat possessed that quality coveted today by some and admired in others as a distinguishing mark of soundness and loyalty. He was a master opposer, ever combining shrewdness, vigor, determination and persistence. Profit will come with a study of his methods and of how Nehemiah successfully met his opposition. Back of Sanballat was his Satanic Majesty, even "the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience," using him just as he uses many today and seeks to use others. Therefore in studying Sanballat's tactics we are studying the devil's. Nehemiah successfully met him, hence a study of his ways which were God's will help us in our warfare. Sanballat's methods were:

      1. Ridicule. "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they fortify themselves? If even a fox go up, he will break down their stone wall." Nehemiah just spoke to the Lord about it and kept on building. "And all the wall was joined together to half the height thereof, for the people had a mind to work."

      2. Conspiracy. When they heard that the repairing went forward "they were very wroth and conspired all of them together to come and fight." So he "made prayer to God and set a watch against them day and night"; effected a better organization of his forces and inspired them for defense. The enemy then saw that their conspiracy was known and that God had brought their counsel to naught.

      3. Compromise. "Now it came to pass, when it was reported to Sanballat," et al., "that I had builded the wall,  *  *  *  that Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me saying, Come, let us meet together in one of the villages of the plain of Ono." "Come now, therefore, and let us take counsel together." Nehemiah, knowing they planned mischief, replied, "I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down." Five times was he thus solicited and the fifth was a false accusation with a threat. Nehemiah refused and, as his custom was, took it to the Lord in prayer.

      4. A deceiver's advice. Shemaiah would befriend (?) Nehemiah at this juncture by some wise counsel, advising him to save his life. Nehemiah replied, "Should such a man as I flee?" "And lo, I perceived that God had not sent him, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me; for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him." "So the wall was finished. And it came to pass, that when our enemies heard thereof  *  *  *  they feared and were much cast down in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God." [55]

["Sanballat versus Nehemiah." Word and Work 9 (February 1916): 55.]

      The electronic version of Stanford Chambers's "Sanballat versus Nehemiah" has been produced from microfilm of Word and Work for 1916.

      Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections have been offered for misspellings and other accidental corruptions. Emendations are as follows:

            Printed Text [ Electronic Text
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 p. 55:     even the spirit [ even "the spirit
            day and night; [ day and night";
 

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
Derry, PA

Created 28 January 2002.
Updated 22 June 2003.