| 31. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive in vayehi {וַיְהִ֡י | wayəhî} introducing a new episode. The infinitive construct kirʾōṯ {כִּרְאוֹת | kirʾōṯ} ‘as they saw’ serves as a temporal clause. The construct chain ṣārê hāreḵeḇ {שָׂרֵי הָרֶכֶב | ṣārê hā-reḵeḇ} functions as the subject of that clause. The direct object marker ʾet {אֶת | ʾet} before yəhôšāp̄āṭ {יְהוֹשָׁפָט | yəhôšāp̄āṭ} highlights Jehoshaphat’s prominence. The purpose clause lə-hillāḥēm {לְהִלָּחֵ֑ם | lə-hillāḥēm} marks the assault intent. The verse culminates in a twofold divine response: wayhōwāh ʿăzārô {וַֽיהוָ֣ה עֲזָר֔וֹ | wayhōwāh ʿăzārô} ‘and the LORD helped him’ followed by wayyəsîṯēm ʼĕlōhîm {וַיְסִיתֵ֥ם אֱלֹהִ֖ים | wayyəsîṯēm ʼĕlōhîm} ‘and God turned them aside’, underlining both rescue and removal. |