Nehemiah

Nehemiah is a figure in the Hebrew Bible who, according to the Book of Nehemiah, held a high position in the Persian imperial administration during the 5th century BCE. He is described as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes I and as a Jewish official who takes a leading role in the postexilic rebuilding of Jerusalem.

The narrative places Nehemiah in Susa, where he learns that Jerusalem’s walls lie in ruins and its gates are burned. He receives permission from the king to return to Judea with authority to rebuild the city and its defenses, along with letters ensuring safe passage and resources. In Jerusalem he organizes the repair effort, assigns leadership, and oversees the construction of the wall, which the text states is completed in fifty-two days despite opposition from enemies such as Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arab.

Beyond rebuilding walls, Nehemiah undertakes reforms to restore communal discipline and adherence to the Torah. He reorganizes temple administration and the collection of tithes, addresses abuses by local officials, enforces Sabbath observance, and conducts covenant renewal efforts. The reforms aim to strengthen religious identity, social justice, and proper governance within the returned community.

Authorship and dating are matters of scholarly discussion. The Book of Nehemiah is generally treated as part of a dual Ezra–Nehemiah compilation, with Nehemiah traditionally associated with the narrative’s first-person sections. Modern scholarship often views the work as a later compilation describing Persian-period Judea, blending historical memory with theological aims.

Nehemiah's story is cited for lessons on leadership, reform, and the administration of a religiously guided community in a difficult political context.