Nehemiah
An Israelite nobleman in Babylon in the Old Testament (either a Levite or of the tribe of Judah) who held the office of cupbearer at the court of Artaxerxes, from whom he obtained a royal commission authorizing him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
The book of Nehemiah
This book is a continuation of the book of Ezra. It contains an account of the progress and difficulties of the work at Jerusalem following the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity. Chapters 1–7 tell of Nehemiah’s first visit to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the city walls in spite of great opposition. Chapters 8–10 describe the religious and social reforms that Nehemiah tried to implement. Chapters 11–13 give a list of names of those worthy and give an account of the dedication of the wall. Verses 4–31 of chapter 13 record a second visit by Nehemiah to Jerusalem after being away for twelve years.