| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the vav-consecutive vayehi {וַיְהִ֣י | way-hî} ‘and it happened,’ marking the start of a new episode. The temporal phrase acharei-ken {אַחֲרֵי־כֵן | ʾaḥarêy-kên} ‘after this’ establishes sequence. The coordinated noun phrases bnei-Moav and u-bnei-Ammon {בְנֵי־מוֹאָב וּבְנֵי־עַמּוֹן | bə-nē mō-ʾā-ḇ ū-bᵊnē ʿammôn} list major contingents. The conjunction v-immahem {וְעִמָּהֶם | wə-ʿimmāhēm} ‘and with them’ introduces the auxiliary force meha-ammonim {מֵֽהָעַמּוֹנִ֛ים | mēhā ʿammōnîm} ‘from the Ammonites,’ specifying additional troops. The prepositional phrase al-Yehoshaphat {עַל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט | ʿal-yĕhôšāp̄āṭ} ‘against Jehoshaphat’ identifies the target, and la-milchamah {לַמִּלְחָמָה | la-milḥāmā} ‘for battle’ defines the martial intent. The asyndetic coordination of forces underscores the coalition’s unified threat. |