In Nehemiah, chapter two, verse nineteen, A third prominent adversary of Nehemiah is part of the trio. His name occurs again in Nehemiah six, verses one through two. Geshem is the chief of some Arabian tribe. The other two are Sanballat, the Horonite, and Tobiah, the servant, the Ammonite. These three seem to have been chief men among the Samaritans and perhaps were invested with some offices or authority by the king of Persia.
However, Nehemiah two, verse ten, explains the behavior of both Sanballat and Tobiah toward the people of God when they hear about the good motives of future improvement for the people of Israel. “When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.”
The insult or disrespect of these three chief men among the Samaritans explains why the inspection of the walls from Nehemiah happened at night. The details of the approach begin in Nehemiah two, verses eleven through sixteen. The appeal from Nehemiah is known in his resolution to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the community, having satisfied himself with the practicability of his plan called an assembly. He sketched the history of his past life and showed how God’s providence had always shielded and supported him. These words contained permission to rebuild the wall.
Ridicule and scorn in society often become the experience of the faithful children of God daily striving to live a righteous life among those who do not know God. The world frequently despises the moral standards of Christians and mocks their devotion to Christ. Our confidence and reply should be the same as Nehemiah’s: the God of heaven will help us and vindicate the righteous.