| 3. Linguistic Exegesis The vav-consecutive wayyiqrā’ {וַיִּקְרָ֣א | va·yyiq·rāʾ} ‘and he called’ introduces sequential narrative action. The relative pronoun ăšer {אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ’ă·šer} ‘who’ and prepositional phrase al-habbāyit {עַל־הַבָּ֑יִת | ‘al·ha·bbā·yiṯ} ‘over the palace’ define Obadiah’s official role. The clause wə-’Ovadyāhu hāyāh yārē’ {וְעֹבַדְיָ֗הוּ הָיָ֥ה יָרֵ֛א | wə-‘ō·ḇa·dī·ā·hû hā·yāh yā·rē′} ‘and Obadiah was fearing’ uses a participle for ongoing reverence, while me’ōḏ {מְאֹד | me·’ō·ḏ} ‘greatly’ intensifies the meaning. Hebrew syntax delays the participial description until after identifying Obadiah’s position, underscoring his devotion; English renders this with finite verbs and subordinate clauses to preserve the emphasis. |