| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the temporal prepositional clause bishnat {בִּשְׁנַת֙ | biš-šāṯ} “in the year of” followed by the ordinal khamesh-esreh {חֲמֵשׁ־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה | ḥămêš-‘eśrê} + shanah {שָׁנָ֔ה | šānâ} “fifteenth year.” The construct la-amatsyahu {לַאֲמַצְיָ֥הוּ | la-’ămāṣya-hû} “to Amaziah” links this timeframe to the Judahite ruler. The appositive ben-yoash {בֶן־יוֹאָ֖שׁ | ben-yō’āš} “son of Joash” and melek Yehudah {מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָה֑ | melek yəhûdāh} “king of Judah” clarify the subject’s identity prior to the main verb. The verb mālaḵ {מָ֠לַךְ | mālaḵ} “he reigned” introduces the clause, with its subject comprised of yārāḇ‘ām {יָרָבְעָ֨ם | yārāḇ‘ām} “Jeroboam,” ben-yoash {בֶּן־יוֹאָ֤שׁ | ben-yō’āš} “son of Joash,” and melek-yisrā’ēl {מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | melek-yisrā’ēl} “king of Israel.” The locative bə-šomrôn {בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן | bə-šomrôn} “in Samaria” marks his seat of power. Finally, the duration phrase ’arbā‘îm wə-’aḥat {אַרְבָּעִ֥ים וְאַחַ֖ת | ’arbā‘îm wə-’aḥat} + šānâ {שָׁנָֽה׃ | šānâ} “forty-one years” reflects Hebrew numbering syntax. This arrangement foregrounds chronology and lineage by placing temporal and appositive elements before the verb. |