About This Text
Nehemiah is one of the books of the section in the Hebrew Bible called Writings, and was originally included as part of the book of Ezra. It is mostly a first-person account of Nehemiah, a Jewish cup-bearer to the king of Persia who returns to Jerusalem in the 5th century BCE and becomes governor of Judah. Nehemiah oversees the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls in 52 days, defying opposition from Judah’s enemies. He also helps repopulate Jerusalem, enforces the cancellation of debts, and assists Ezra in leading a religious revival.