Nehemiah 5:14

I was appointed. Here for the first time Nehemiah clearly states that his authorization to return and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem was accompanied by appointment to the governorship of the province of Judea. It is possible that the appointment took place soon thereafter. His 12 years of governorship did not begin earlier than Nisan in the 20th year of Artaxerxes (chapter 2:1), that is, not before April 2, 444 B.C. It ended in the 32nd regnal year of Artaxerxes, which according to Nehemiah’s calendar year (see p. 109) probably began Sept. 25, 433, and ended Oct. 13, 432 B.C. During this year he was recalled to Artaxerxes’ court (chapter 13:6), and it was probably at this time that the account of chapter 5:14-19 was written, perhaps also verses 1-13, and possibly other parts of the book.

The bread of the governor. During all his term of office he had not claimed the usual revenue a governor was entitled to receive from his subjects; he had paid his own personal expenses. By his “brethren” Nehemiah here refers to his entire court as well as his own family.