Description

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The book of Nehemiah's opening verse immediately declares that "Nehemiah, son of Hacaliah," contrary to other so-called historical books of the Old Testament, is named as the author of this book. Nehemiah's name means "Yahweh/Jehovah comforts," and his father's name means "Yahweh/Jehovah is hidden." Thus, Nehemiah began his own personal account of his memoires as directed by the Holy Spirit. The first seven chapters of Nehemiah are all written in the first-person pronoun, as well as the material in Nehemiah 12:31-13:31. Therefore, we are given an unusual and unique look into the heart and life of an outstanding servant-leader of God. Nehemiah combined a steady life of prayer, a deep trust in the Lord, along with unusually careful planning, good organization skills and energetic action in the twelve years of his administration over the province of Judah.

About the Author

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Walter C. Kaiser graduated from Wheaton College and Graduate School, obtaining his Ph.D. at Brandeis University. He then taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School where he served as vice president and academic dean from 1980 to 1992. In 1993 he moved to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he was a professor of Old Testament and spent many months of the year teaching internationally. He became president of Gordon-Conwell in 1997 and retired in 2006. He is currently President Emeritus and Distinguished Professor of Old Testament and Ethics and lives on a farm in Wisconsin with his wife, Nancy.