| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative sequence is introduced by the vav-consecutive Qal imperfect vatishma {וַתִּשְׁמַ֣ע | vat-tiš-maʿ} ‘and she heard’, highlighting Athaliah’s immediate reaction. The particle et {אֶת־ | ʾeṯ} marks both kol haam {קוֹל הָעָם | qol hā-ʿām} ‘sound of the people’ and et hamelekh {אֶת־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ | ʾeṯ ham-me-leḵ} ‘the king’ as direct objects. The participles haratsim {הָֽרָצִים | hā-rā-ṣîm} ‘the runners’ (Qal stem) and vehamhalelim {וְהַֽמְהַֽלְלִים | wə-ham-me-hal-lê-lîm} ‘those praising’ (Piel stem) depict concurrent crowd activity. The vav-consecutive imperfect vatavo {וַתָּב֥וֹא | vat-tā-vōʾ} ‘and she came’ advances to her entrance. The phrases el haam {אֶל־הָעָ֖ם | ʾel hā-ʿām} ‘to the people’ and beyt Yahweh {בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה | bēyt Yahweh} ‘house of the LORD’ situate the action within the temple precinct, juxtaposing external enthusiasm with the sacred interior. |