| 37. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with wayyiṯnabbēʾ {וַיִּתְנַבֵּא | wayyiṯnabbēʾ} ‘and he prophesied’, where the Hitpael imperfect with vav consecutive marks sequential narrative action and reflexive voice. The construct chain ʾElīʿēzēr ben-Dōdāvāhû {אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן־דֹּדָוָהוּ | ʾĕlîʿēzēr ben-dôdāvāhû} identifies the prophetic speaker and lineage, followed by mimmārešāh {מִמָּרֵשָׁה | mimmārešāh} ‘from Mareshah’ indicating origin. The phrase ʿal-Yəhōšāp̄āṭ {עַל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט | ʿal-yəhōšāp̄āṭ} ‘against Jehoshaphat’ introduces an adversative stance. Lēmōr {לֵאמֹר | lēmōr} ‘saying’ heads the direct speech. Within it, kəhittabbērkā ʿim-ʾăḥazyāhû {כְּהִֽתְחַבֶּרְךָ עִם־אֲחַזְיָהוּ | kəhittabbērkā ʿim-ʾăḥazyāhû} ‘as you allied with Ahaziah’ states the cause. The Qal perfect pāraṣ {פָּרַץ | pāraṣ} ‘broke’ with Yahweh as subject expresses divine judgment, and the direct object marker ʾet {אֶת | ʾet} links the construct mā‘ăšêkā {מַעֲשֶׂיךָ | mā‘ăšêkā} ‘your works’. The ensuing Niphal imperfect wayyišābberū {וַיִּשָּׁבְרוּ | wayyišābberū} ‘and they were broken’ denotes the ships’ destruction, while wə-lōʾ ʿāṣərū lāleḵet ʾel-Taršīš {וְלֹא עָצְרוּ לָלֶכֶת אֶל־תַּרְשִׁישׁ | wə-lōʾ ʿāṣərū lāleḵet ʾel-Taršīš} ‘and were not able to go to Tarshish’ describes the failed endeavor. The structure highlights a clear cause-and-effect pattern linking political alliance to divine retribution. |