It is recorded in the Bible that during the time Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem he was confronted with many suggestions to delay, interrupt, or discontinue his activity. Chief among those who sought to dissuade him were Sanballat, who has been identified as an official of Samaria; Tobiah, a slave who nevertheless had some political power; and an Arabian by the name of Geshem, who is later referred to as Gashmu.
When the plan for the building of the wall became known, these men scorned the idea and held Nehemiah up to ridicule. They continued to use every argument and subterfuge at their command to stop the builder's work. When the wall was all but completed, they threatened open warfare, causing Nehemiah to organize an armed watch (Neh. 4:7-9). When all that remained to be done was the hanging of the gates, Sanballat sent to Nehemiah four times in an endeavor to persuade him to leave his work (Neh. 6:4).
At last Sanballat sent Nehemiah a fifth messenger with an open letter which was designed to implant in Nehemiah's thought the seed of fear that he would be destroyed by the king of Persia because of the reports of insurrection which Sanballat would make to the king about him if he did not cease his work. Neither this attempt at terrorization nor a still later threat of assassination impressed Nehemiah. Sustained by the knowledge that he had been appointed to his task by God, and fully aware of its greatness, he refused to be influenced by Sanballat and his friends. Demonstrating that his accomplishment was "wrought of our God" (Neh. 6:16), he remained at his work and completed the wall.
