This paper proposes to identify an “authority triangle” within the book of Nehemiah consisting of the Judean Deity, the Persian king, and (a representative of) the Judean people (primarily Nehemiah). Much of previous scholarship has focused upon diachronic discussion of the Nehemiah Memoir as a document intended to justify Nehemiah’s actions to an intended reader of either God or the Persians. However, a synchronic reading suggests that the book attempts to justify Nehemiah’s actions as authorized by God and Persian rule to an intended readership of the Judeans. The book of Nehemiah presents a historiography which contains the following primary authorities: YHWH, Artaxerxes, and Nehemiah. They form a triangle in which the author presents Artaxerxes and Nehemiah receiving authority for their actions from YHWH—with particular emphasis given to Nehemiah’s divine authority being derived through Artaxerxes from YHWH. The book asserts Nehemiah’s authority as ultimately derived from YHWH. It also presents King Artaxerxes as manifesting YHWH’s will. Next, it presents Nehemiah’s actions within Jerusalem as authorized by the Persian king Artaxerxes. Ultimately, Nehemiah’s authorization from YHWH is reinforced by Nehemiah’s authorization by Artaxerxes who in turn manifests the will of YHWH. Because references to God, Nehemiah, and the Judeans are quite frequent with the book, this paper will first identify passages that refer to Artaxerxes both explicitly and implicitly. The paper will then analyze and discuss what these passages tell us about the authority relationships among Artaxerxes, YHWH, and (a representative of) the Judeans. The paper will then conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for the understanding of the book as a whole while suggesting avenues of further research on these implications both for comparative and diachronic understandings of the book of Nehemiah.