| 13. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the vav-consecutive in vatera {וַתֵּרֶא | vaṯ-tē-rēʾ} ‘and she saw,’ continuing the account, while vehineh {וְהִנֵּה | wə-hinnē} ‘behold’ introduces an immediate focus. The nominal clause hamelekh omed al-amudo {הַמֶּלֶךְ עוֹמֵד עַֽל־עַמּוּד֜וֹ | ha-me-leḵ ʿō-mēḏ ʿal-ʿam-mû-ḏō} uses a participle to depict the king’s stationary posture on his ceremonial pillar. Bammavo {בַּמָּב֗וֹא | bam-mā-ḇō} specifies location at the entrance. The coordinated celebratory subjects vehasarim vehachatotserot {וְהַשָּׂרִים וְהַחֲצֹצְרוֹת֮ | wə-ha-sǎ-rîm wə-ḥa-ḥă-ṣot-sər-ōt} followed by sameach vetokea vehamshorerim {שָׂמֵ֗חַ וְתוֹקֵ֙עַ וְהַמְשׁוֹרֲרִים֙ | sǎ-mē-ʾaḥ wə-tō-qē-ʿ wə-ham-šō-rǎ-rîm} form a crescendo of communal praise. The abrupt shift to vatikra et-begadeha {וַתִּקְרַ֤ע אֶת־בְּגָדֶיהָ | va-ttiqrāʿ ʾet-be-ḡā-ḏē-hā} marks Athaliah’s protest, and the repeated kesher kesher {קֶשֶׁר קָשֶׁר | ke-šer qā-šer} employs repetition for rhetorical emphasis. |