Nehemiah is the Book of Wall-building. More than simply Ezra, Part-2, Nehemiah should stand on its own as a picture of how a believer’s spiritual life and temporal life go hand in hand. The picture of the wall-builders with a hammer in one hand and a sword in the other should be an example for Church Age believers to follow.
The Hebrew & English titles for the Book are taken from the main character introduced in the opening verse: Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah. The Greek title in the Septuagint “Esdras B” reflects the Septuagint’s combining Ezra & Nehemiah into a single work.
Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah is introduced as the author in Neh. 1:1. He was likely a Jew from the Tribe of Judah (Neh. 1:2). A trusted servant of King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah served as a Persian governor over the province of Judah and is responsible for the reconstruction of Jerusalem’s city walls.