| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the numeral shalosh shanim {שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים | šālōš šānîm} ‘three years’, indicating duration of the reign. The Qal perfect verb malakh {מָלַךְ | mālaḵ} ‘he reigned’ signifies completed royal action. The locative phrase birushalayim {בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑יִם | bīrûšālayim} ‘in Jerusalem’ identifies the royal seat. The conjunction and noun veshem {וְשֵׁם | wə-šēm} ‘and name’ plus the construct immo {אִמּוֹ | immō} ‘his mother’ introduce a genealogical clause. The proper noun maakah {מַעֲכָה | maˀăḵāh} is followed by the construct bat־ {בַּת־ | baṯ-} ‘daughter’, linking to avishalom {אֲבִישָׁלֽוֹם | ʾăvišālôm} ‘Abishalom’; the paratactic structure is rendered as two sentences to preserve dynastic emphasis. |