| 21. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the vav-consecutive verb vayismekhu {וַיִּשְׂמְח֥וּ | va-yis-me-ḥû} indicating sequential narrative progression. The construct chain kol-am-ha-aretz {כָל־עַם־הָאָ֖רֶץ | kol-ʿam-hā-ʾā-reṣ} “all the people of the land” emphasizes inclusivity. In the phrase ve-ha-ʾîr šā-qā-ṭāh {וְהָעִ֣יר שָׁקָ֑טָה | wə-hā-ʾîr šā-qā-ṭāh}, the verb follows its subject to highlight restored order. The direct-object marker ve-ʾet {וְאֶת־ | wə-ʾet} marks Atalyahu {עֲתַלְיָ֖הוּ | ʿă-tal-yā-hû} as the object of the Hiphil perfect hemiytu {הֵמִ֥יתוּ | hē-mi-tū}, conveying intentional causation. The prepositional phrase be-ḥā-rev {בֶחָֽרֶב | be-ḥā-rev} specifies the instrument. In English, the particles et and vav are omitted or rendered as conjunctions to fit natural word order. |