| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The clause opens with vekishmoa {וְכִשְׁמֹעַ | wə-ḵiš-mō-’a} ‘and when he heard’ introducing a temporal-causal context. The subject Asa is followed by hadvarim {הַדְּבָרִים | ha-ḏə-vā-rîm} ‘these words’ and vehanevuah {וְהַנְּבוּאָה | wə-han-nə-vū-’āh} ‘and the prophecy’, linked to Oded hanavi in a construct relationship. The Hitpael perfect hitchazzak {הִתְחַזַּק | hit-ḥa-z˘ˈzᵻk} ‘he strengthened himself’ marks internal resolve. A vav-consecutive sequence (vayaaver … vayechaddesh) connects the removal of hashikkutzim {הַשִּׁקּוּצִים | ha-šiq-qū-ṣîm} ‘the abominations’ from mikol eretz Yehudah uvenyamin and the fortified towns taken from mehar Efrayim. The direct object marker et {אֵת־ | ’ēt} introduces mizbeach Yahweh, and the relative clause asher lifnei ulam Yahweh situates the altar before the temple porch. English word order preserves the Hebrew narrative flow and highlights causal, locative, and cultic elements. |