Nehemiah 2:10

"Then I came to the governors beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me."

Key Reflection

Nehemiah's journey across the Euphrates to seek permission from the Persian governor highlights his commitment to restoring Jerusalem, even when it meant traversing a significant boundary. This act symbolizes crossing into the unknown for the sake of God’s will and demonstrates the support he received from higher authorities, reflecting the divine backing in his mission.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

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 (seeJoshua 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 secretaryNehemiah 6:17-19and chief adviser. It grieved them -CompareEzra 4:4-24;Ezra 5:6-17.

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