Success in Spite of Intimidation: The keyword of this chapter is intimidation. Of the major English versions, only the NJPS is consistent in its fivefold rendering of the same Hebrew verb for intimidation. It occurs regularly at the conclusion of paragraphs, in verses 9, 13–14, 16, and 19. The first main section, consisting of verses 1–14, is divided into two parallel subsections describing different attempts to intimidate, in verses 1–9 and 10–14. Then verses 15–16 record a great reversal of the multinational intimidation of verses 1–9. Finally, verses 17–19 constitute a postscript that amplifies Tobiah’s attempts to intimidate Nehemiah in verses 10–14. So the chapter has a consecutively parallel ABA′B′ format.

A verses 1–9
B verses 10–14
A′ verses 15–16
B′ verses 17–19

6:1–9  The structural p…