| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive verb vayhi {וַיְהִי֙ | way-ḥî} ‘and it came to pass’, marking a continuation in the historical narrative. The temporal phrase acharei-ken {אַחֲרֵי־כֵן | ʾaḥă-rêy-ken} ‘after this’ establishes a chronological sequence. The main clause vayamat {וַיָּ֕מָת | way-yā-mat} ‘and he died’ identifies Nahash {נָחָשׁ | Nāḥāsh} as the subject, with the title melech {מֶ֣לֶךְ | me-leḵ} ‘king’ in apposition to benei-Ammon {בְּנֵי־עַמּ֑וֹן | bə-nê-ʿam-môn} ‘of the sons of Ammon’, highlighting his political affiliation. A second vav-consecutive vayimlokh {וַיִּמְלֹךְ | way-yim-lōḵ} ‘and he reigned’ shifts focus to beno {בְּנ֖וֹ | bə-nô} ‘his son’ as the new subject. The postpositional phrase tachtav {תַּחְתָּֽיו | taḥ-tāw} ‘in his place’ clarifies the mechanism of dynastic succession. The coordination of two vav-consecutive clauses underscores the swift dynastic transition and the continuity of royal authority. |