Neballat

At a Glance

A town or village in Benjamin listed among the settlements inhabited after the exile.

Key Points

• A place-name, not a theological concept.
• Mentioned in Nehemiah 11:34.
• Its exact location is not securely known.

Description

Neballat is presented in Nehemiah 11:34 as one of the towns in Benjamin after the exile. The text gives no theological teaching attached to the name, and the site is not securely identified in modern geography. For dictionary purposes, Neballat belongs under biblical geography rather than theological terminology.

Biblical Context

Nehemiah 11 lists towns repopulated in the restored community after the exile. Neballat appears among the Benjaminite settlements, showing the return and reorganization of life in the land.

Historical Context

The name reflects the postexilic period when returned Judeans and related communities resettled towns in and around Jerusalem. The historical location of Neballat is uncertain.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In ancient Israelite and Second Temple contexts, town lists helped define territorial belonging, inheritance, and the restored community. Neballat functions as one such settlement name in Benjamin.

Primary Key Texts

• Nehemiah 11:34

Secondary Key Texts

• No other canonical text is commonly cited with confidence.

Original Language Note

Hebrew toponym; the exact etymology and modern identification are uncertain.

Theological Significance

Neballat has no direct doctrinal significance; it serves as a geographical marker in a postexilic settlement list.

Philosophical Explanation

This is a historical place reference rather than a theological idea. Its value lies in biblical geography and the narrative of restoration.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not overstate the site’s exact location or importance. The biblical text names Neballat but gives few details beyond its place in Benjamin.

Major Views

Most readers and commentators treat Neballat as a Benjaminite settlement named in Nehemiah’s list; its precise identification remains uncertain.

Doctrinal Boundaries

Neballat should not be used for doctrine. It is a geographic headword only and should be read as part of the restoration history in Nehemiah.

Practical Significance

Neballat illustrates the repopulation of the land after exile and the concrete, local shape of covenant restoration.

Related Entries

• Benjamin
• Nehemiah
• postexilic settlements
• biblical geography

See Also

• Nehemiah 11
• Benjamin
• towns of Judah and Benjamin