| 4. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with vayehi {וַיְהִי | wa-yə-hî} ‘and it happened’, serving as a sequence marker. The infinitive construct behachrit {בְּהַכְרִית | bə-hakh-rît} establishes Jezebel’s destructive action. The direct object marker et {אֵת | ʾêth} introduces the construct chain nevi’ei Yahweh {נְבִיאֵי יְהוָה | nə-vi-ʾê yə-hō-wāh} ‘prophets of the LORD’, focusing on the victims. The vav consecutive vayikach {וַיִּקַּח | wa-yik-kaḥ} ‘and he took’ shifts to Obadiah’s initiative. The distributive numeral chamishim ish {חֲמִשִּׁים אִישׁ | ḥa-mish-shîm ʾîš} ‘fifty men’ paired with bamearah {בַּמְּעָרָה | ba-me-ʿā-rāh} ‘in the cave’ highlights the sheltering of a group. The piel form vekhelkelam {וְכִלְכָּלָם | wə-khil-ke-lām} ‘and he provided them’ emphasizes ongoing support, and the coordinated lechem {לֶחֶם | le-ḥem} ‘bread’ and mayim {וָמָיִם | wa-mā-yim} ‘water’ denote essential sustenance, underscoring faithful care. |