| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse features the verb wayyiṯen {וַיִּתֵּן | wayyiṯen} twice, marking parallel deployments. The term khayil {חַיִל | khayil} denotes a military unit, while the prepositional phrase bəkhol-’ārei-Yehudah-habeṣurōt {בְּכָל־עָרֵי יְהוּדָה הַבְּצֻר֑וֹת | bəkhol-’ārei-Yehudah habeṣurōt} constructs “in all the fortified cities of Judah.” The repetition wayyiṯen nᵉṣīvīm {וַיִּתֵּ֤ן נְצִיבִים֙ | wayyiṯen nᵉṣīvīm} parallels appointing garrisons in two domains: bᵉʾereṣ-Yehudah {בְּאֶ֣רֶץ יְהוּדָ֔ה | bᵉʾereṣ-Yehudah} and u-bᵉ’ārei-’Ephrayim {וּבְעָרֵ֣י אֶפְרַ֔יִם | u-bᵉ’ārei ’Ephrayim}. The relative clause ’ăšer lākad ’Ōśā ’āvîv {אֲשֶׁ֥ר לָכַ֖ד אָסָ֥א אָבִֽיו | ’ăšer lākad ’Ōśā ’āvîv} specifies that these cities had been taken by Asa. English syntax preserves the Hebrew parallel structure to reflect both sequential and functional balance. |