חָלָ֖ה

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 חָלָ֖ה

   kha-LA

   he was sick
2. clause🔊 רַ֚ק לְעֵ֣ת זִקְנָת֔וֹ חָלָ֖ה אֶת־רַגְלָֽיו׃

   RAK le-ET zik-na-TO kha-LA et-rag-LAV

   only at the time of his old age he was sick with respect to his feet
3. sentence🔊 וְיֶ֣תֶר כָּל־דִּבְרֵֽי־אָ֠סָא וְכָל־גְּב֨וּרָת֜וֹ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֗ה וְהֶֽעָרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּנָ֔ה הֲלֹֽא־הֵ֣מָּה כְתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֣י יְהוּדָ֑ה רַ֚ק לְעֵ֣ת זִקְנָת֔וֹ חָלָ֖ה אֶת־רַגְלָֽיו׃

   ve-YE-ter kol-div-RE-A-sa ve-khol-ge-vu-ra-TO ve-khol-a-SHER A-sa ve-he-a-RIM a-SHER ba-NA ha-LO-he-MA khe-tu-VIM al-SE-fer div-RE ha-ya-MIM le-mal-KHE ye-hu-DA RAK le-ET zik-na-TO kha-LA et-rag-LAV

   and the remainder of all the words of Asa and all his might and all that he did and the cities that he built are they not written upon the book of the words or acts of the days of the kings of Judah only at the time of his old age he was sick with respect to his feet

Exegesis

The adverb rak {רַק | rak} ‘yet’ introduces the temporal clause le‘et ziknato chalah {לְעֵת זִקְנָת֔וֹ חָלָה | lə-ʿêt zik-nā-tô cha-lāh} ‘when he was old, he became diseased’, where et raglav {אֶת־רַגְלָיו | ēt rag-lāv} identifies the afflicted body part. The cumulative list, rhetorical question, and temporal contrast preserve the Hebrew narrative’s structure and emphasis on official record juxtaposed with personal decline.

Root and etymology

ח־ל־ה🔊 chet–lamed–heh

“to be weak, sick”

• 🔊 מַחֲלָהma-chă-lāhdiseaseDeuteronomy 7:15