| 32. Linguistic Exegesis u-milchamah {וּמִלְחָמָה | u-mil-ḥā-māh} ‘and war’ functions as the clause subject introducing conflict. The verb hayetah {הָיְתָה | hā-yə-tāh} ‘there was’ is Qal perfect, third person feminine singular, conveying a stative condition. The paired prepositions bein {בֵּין | bēn} and u-vein {וּבֵין | u-bēn} mark reciprocal engagement between Asa {אָסָא | ʾā-sāʾ} and Baasha {בַעְשָׁא | bə-ʿā-šāʾ}. The construct melech Yisra’el {מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | me-leḵ-yiś-rā-ʾēl} designates Baasha’s title as king of Israel. The quantifier kol yemeihem {כָּל־יְמֵיהֶם | kol-yə-mē-hēm} forms an idiom specifying the full span of their reigns. English merges the parallel Hebrew clauses into one coordinated statement to underscore uninterrupted conflict throughout their rule. |