Hacaliah was the father of Nehemiah, the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes who became governor of Judah and led the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls. His name appears twice in the book of Nehemiah, both times as part of Nehemiah's self-identification. The name's etymology is uncertain, though one proposal suggests it means 'wait for Yahweh' (from the root חכה). The Septuagint shows considerable variation in rendering the name, reflecting its unfamiliarity to Greek translators.