who wrote nehemiah

The book of Nehemiah is traditionally attributed primarily to Nehemiah himself as the author. Jewish tradition and much scholarly opinion hold that Nehemiah wrote the book, especially because large portions are written from his first- person perspective, giving an autobiographical account of his activities, including his role as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes of Persia and leader in the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. Some scholars believe the book might have been compiled or edited by Ezra or later scribes, possibly combining Nehemiah’s original memoirs and other historical material, but Nehemiah is widely accepted as the main author of the text's personal and narrative sections. The book closely follows the events around 444-430 BC when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem following the exile of the Jewish people and led efforts to rebuild and reform the city and community.