1 sn In ancient Judaism Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as a single book with dual authorship. According to the Talmud, “Ezra wrote his book” (b. Bava Batra 15a). The Gemara then asks and answers, “And who finished it? Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.” Accordingly, the two are joined in the Leningrad Codex (ca.
2 sn The name Nehemiah in Hebrew (נְחֶמְיָה, nÿkhemyah) means “the
3 tn That is, the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign (cf. 2:1).
4 tn Heb “Shushan.”