מֶ֣לֶךְ

Alphabet Analysis

The word

1. word🔊 מֶ֣לֶךְ

   ME-lekh

   king of
2. phraseyour reading level🔊 מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה

   ME-lekh ye-hu-DA

   king of Judah
3. clause🔊 בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְשָׁלֹשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה

   bish-NAT e-se-RIM ve-sha-LOSH sha-NA le-yo-ASH BEN-a-khaz-ya-HU ME-lekh ye-hu-DA

   in the year of twenty and three year to Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah
4. sentence🔊 בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְשָׁלֹשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יְהוֹאָחָ֨ז בֶּן־יֵה֤וּא עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃

   bish-NAT e-se-RIM ve-sha-LOSH sha-NA le-yo-ASH BEN-a-khaz-ya-HU ME-lekh ye-hu-DA ma-LAKH ye-ho-a-KHAZ BEN-ye-HU al-yis-ra-EL be-shom-re-RON she-VA e-se-RE sha-NA

   in the year of twenty and three year to Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz son of Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria seven ten years

Exegesis

The lamed phrase leyoash {לְיוֹאָ֥שׁ | lə-yôʾāš} ‘of Joash’ marks the reign used as the chronological reference point, and the following appositional chain ben-achazyahu melech yehudah {בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה | ben-ʾăḥazyāhû melek yəhûḏāh} identifies him as “son of Ahaziah, king of Judah.”

The main clause is driven by malakh {מָ֠לַךְ | mālak} ‘became king,’ with yehoachaz ben-yehu {יְהוֹאָחָ֨ז בֶּן־יֵה֤וּא | yəhôʾāḥāz ben-yēhû} as the subject introduced after the verb, a common narrative pattern that highlights the accession event.

Root and etymology

consonants🔊 מ־ל־ךMem–Lamed–Kaf

“to rule, reign”