Original Word: נְבַלָּט
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Nballat
Pronunciation: neh-bal-LAHT
Phonetic Spelling: (neb-al-lawt')
KJV: Neballat
NASB: Neballat
Word Origin: [apparently from H5036 (נָבָל - fool) and H3909 (לָט - secret arts)]

1. foolish secrecy
2. Neballat, a place in Israel

Neballat

Apparently from nabal and lat; foolish secrecy; Neballat, a place in Palestine -- Neballat.

see HEBREW nabal

see HEBREW lat

Word Origin
of uncertain derivation
Definition
a place where Benjamites dwelt
NASB Translation
Neballat (1).

נְבַלָּ֑ט proper name, of a location place where Benjamites dwelt Nehemiah 11:34. ᵐ5^L Ναβαλυτ. Modern Beit Nebâlâ, 6 miles northeast from Lydda, according to Guérin^{Sam. ii. 67 f.}; Mishna בית נבלטא Buhl^{Ges 12; Geogr. 197}.

Name and Meaning

Neballat appears once in Scripture as the name of a town within the tribal territory of Benjamin (Nehemiah 11:34). Although its etymology may echo the Hebrew root n-b-l, Scripture itself does not elaborate on the meaning, leaving the focus on the town’s role rather than on any lexical nuance.

Geographical Setting

Situated in the central hill country of Benjamin, Neballat lay between the Aijalon Valley to the west and the highlands overlooking Jerusalem to the east. Most scholars associate it with the modern village of Beit Nabala, approximately five miles north-northwest of Lod (Lydda). This location placed it on a strategic corridor linking the coastal plain with the Judean interior, giving the community both agricultural prospects on the nearby plains and defensive advantages on the rising slopes.

Historical Context

The single biblical mention of Neballat occurs in the list of post-exilic settlements repopulated under Nehemiah’s leadership:

“Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat” (Nehemiah 11:34).

Nehemiah 11 records how families from Judah and Benjamin willingly relocated from Jerusalem to surrounding towns so that both the capital and its hinterlands would be adequately manned. Neballat’s inclusion highlights at least three historical realities:

1. Completion of Restoration. With the city walls rebuilt (Nehemiah 6:15-16) and covenant renewal secured (Nehemiah 9–10), the repopulation campaign marked the final stage of re-establishing a functioning society in the land promised to the patriarchs.

2. Covenant Continuity. By resettling ancestral territories, returning exiles demonstrated confidence that the LORD’s covenant purposes endured despite the Babylonian captivity. The occupation of Neballat attested that Benjamin still had an inheritance (Joshua 18:21-28).

3. Defensive Network. Towns like Neballat formed a ring of outposts guarding approaches to Jerusalem. The list in Nehemiah 11 moves roughly from north to west, implying a deliberate plan to secure the most vulnerable corridors against adversaries, as earlier threats from Sanballat, Tobiah, and their allies had shown (Nehemiah 4:7-8).

Role in Post-Exilic Community

Neballat probably served as an agricultural support base for Jerusalem, supplying grain, wine, and olive oil for temple worship and civic life. The town’s repopulation meant that Levitical, lay, and possibly priestly families lived and worked there, integrating worship with daily labor (Nehemiah 12:27-29). Its proximity to Lod and Ono (Nehemiah 11:35) also positioned it within a network of craftsmen and traders, contributing to the economic viability of the restored province.

Prophetic and Theological Insights

Though humble and rarely mentioned, Neballat embodies several key biblical themes:

• Faithfulness in the Small. Scripture records Neballat’s name so that no act of obedience—such as uprooting one’s family to repopulate a ruined town—goes unnoticed by the LORD (Hebrews 6:10).

• Corporate Solidarity. The willingness of Benjaminites to leave Jerusalem underscores the covenant community’s shared responsibility. The Church likewise flourishes when believers plant themselves where needs exist, even when recognition is minimal (Philippians 2:3-4).

• Restoration Foreshadowing. Neballat and its sister towns prefigure the ultimate restoration under Messiah, when every corner of the land will be secure (Micah 4:4) and the knowledge of the LORD will cover the earth (Isaiah 11:9).

Lessons for Ministry Today

1. Strategic Deployment. As Nehemiah assigned families to towns, so contemporary ministry benefits from intentional placement of workers in underserved areas—rural, urban, or cross-cultural—so the gospel may take root.

2. Stewardship of Heritage. The exiles valued ancestral boundaries. Churches and families today can honor spiritual heritage while engaging new contexts, remembering that the faith once delivered is worth preserving and passing on (Jude 1:3).

3. Partnership and Interdependence. Neballat’s fortunes were tied to nearby Lod, Ono, and Jerusalem; thriving ministries cooperate rather than compete, sharing resources for kingdom expansion (2 Corinthians 8:13-14).

4. Hope in Obscurity. Many believers labor in “Neballats” the world never notices. Scripture’s inclusion of such places encourages perseverance, assuring that God records and rewards faithfulness wherever it occurs (Matthew 10:42).

Summary

Neballat, though mentioned only in passing, represents a vital link in the chain of God’s redemptive history—a testimony that every locale, every family, and every act of service plays a part in the unfolding narrative of restoration. Its single verse reminds readers that the LORD values both the great and the small in accomplishing His unchanging purposes.

נְבַלָּֽט׃ נבלט׃ nə·ḇal·lāṭ nəḇallāṭ nevalLatInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts