| 27. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav-consecutive verb vaya‘aś {וַיַּ֨עַשׂ | wayya‘aś} ‘and he made,’ indicating sequential action. The subject hammelekh Reḥav‘ām {הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ רְחַבְעָם֙ | hamméleḵ Reḥav‘ām} forms a definite nominal unit. The locative taḥtām {תַּחְתָּ֔ם | taḥtām} ‘in their place’ specifies substitution. The construct chain māginnē neḥōšet {מָגִנֵּ֖י נְחֹ֑שֶׁת | māginnē nĕḥōšeṯ} ‘shields of bronze’ marks material specification. The coordinate vav + Hiphil imperfect wə-hifqîḏ {וְהִפְקִ֗יד | wə-hifqîḏ} ‘and he entrusted’ shifts to administrative action. The idiom ʿal-yad sārê hārāṣîm haššōmrîm {עַל־יַד שָׂרֵ֣י הָרָצִ֔ים הַשֹּׁ֣מְרִ֔ים | ʿal-yad sārê hārāṣîm haššōmrîm} ‘under the authority of the officers of the runners, the guards’ expresses hierarchy. Finally, pēṭaḥ bêt hamméleḵ {פֶּ֖תַח בֵּ֥ית הַמֶּֽלֶךְ | pēṭāḥ bêt hamméleḵ} ‘entrance of the house of the king’ establishes the spatial setting. This structure highlights royal agency and precise administrative hierarchy. |