| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav-consecutive verb vayikshor {וַיִּקְשֹׁר | wayyiqšôr} ‘and he conspired,’ advancing the plot. The subject avdo zimri {עַבְדּ֣וֹ זִמְרִ֔י | ʿaḇdôw zimrî} ‘his servant Zimri’ is immediately followed by the construct chain sar machatsit harachev {שַׂר מַחֲצִ֣ית הָרָ֑כֶב | śār maḥaṣṣîṯ hārāḥēb} ‘commander of half the chariots,’ indicating rank through a genitive construct. The setting is framed by vehu betirtsah {וְה֤וּא בְתִרְצָה֙ | wəhûʾ bǝtîrṣāh} ‘and he was in Tirzah,’ with the locative repeated at the end for emphasis. The participial pair shoteh shikkor {שֹׁתֶה שִׁכּ֔וֹר | šōṯēh šikkôr} ‘drinking… drunk’ conveys progressive action and its result. The phrase beit artza asher al-habayit betirtsah {בֵּ֣ית אַרְצָ֔א אֲשֶׁ֥ר עַל־הַבַּ֖יִת בְּתִרְצָֽה | bêt ’arṣā ’ăšer ʿal-habbayîṯ bǝtîrṣāh} uses construct plus relative clause to define Arza’s role as steward of the household in Tirzah. English order is smoothed for clarity while retaining each Hebrew element. |