Hakaliah (Nehemiah's father)
Father of Jerusalem's Rebuilder
Hakaliah was the father of Nehemiah, who served as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes and later led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. Although little is known about Hakaliah himself, he was the father of one of the most significant leaders in the post-Babylonian period.
Family
Key events
Identified as Nehemiah's father
Hakaliah is mentioned at the beginning of the book of Nehemiah as the father of Nehemiah, the cupbearer who was called to rebuild Jerusalem.
1The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, I was in the citadel of Susa.
דִּבְרֵ֥י נְחֶמְיָ֖ה בֶּן־חֲכַלְיָ֑ה וַיְהִ֤י בְחֹֽדֶשׁ־*כסלו **כִּסְלֵיו֙ שְׁנַ֣ת עֶשְׂרִ֔ים וַאֲנִ֥י הָיִ֖יתִי בְּשׁוּשַׁ֥ן הַבִּירָֽה׃
Mentioned in connection with the covenant renewal
In the list of those who sealed the covenant, Nehemiah son of Hakaliah is identified as governor and leader.
1In view of all this, we are entering into a binding agreement, put in writing; and on the sealed document are the names of our officials, our Levites, and our priests.
וּבְכָל־זֹ֕את אֲנַ֛חְנוּ כֹּרְתִ֥ים אֲמָנָ֖ה וְכֹתְבִ֑ים וְעַל֙ הֶֽחָת֔וּם שָׂרֵ֥ינוּ לְוִיֵּ֖נוּ כֹּהֲנֵֽינוּ׃