Nehemiah (/ˌniːəˈmaɪə/ or /ˌniːhəˈmaɪə/; נְחֶמְיָה, “Yahweh comforts”, long version of the name “Nahum” which also means comforter; Standard Hebrew Nəḥemya, Tiberian Hebrew Nəḥemyāh) is the central figure of the Book of Nehemiah, which describes his work in rebuilding Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. He was governor of Persian Judea under Artaxerxes I of Persia (c. 5th century BC).
According to most scholars, Nehemiah was a real historical figure and the Nehemiah Memoir, a name given by scholars to certain portions of the book written in the first person, is historically reliable.
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