| 8. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with az {אָ֣ז | ʾāz} ‘then’, a temporal adverb marking narrative sequence. The Qal perfect verb shalach {שָׁלַ֤ח | šā-laḥ} ‘he sent’ appears first in typical VSO order, followed by the subject ʾAmatsyah {אֲמַצְיָה֙ | ʾa-maṣ-yā̆ḥ}. The direct object malʾākhim {מַלְאָכִ֔ים | malʾā-ḵîm} indicates official envoys. The destination is given by the construct chain ʾel-Yehoʾash ben-Yehoʾakhaz ben-Yēhūʾ melek Yisrael, linking ʾel-Yehoʾash {אֶל־יְהוֹאָ֨שׁ | ʾel-yə-hō-ʾāš} with successive ben-Yehoʾakhaz {בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֧ז | ben-yə-hō-ʾā-ḥaz} and ben-Yēhūʾ {בֶּן־יֵה֛וּא | ben-yē-hūʾ} constructs. The title melek Yisrael {מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | me-leḵ yi-srā-ʾēl} functions as a genitival designation. Lamed infinitive leʾemor {לֵאמֹ֑ר | le-ʾā-mōr} introduces direct speech, leading into the imperative lekhah {לְכָ֖ה | lə-ḵā} ‘come’ and the cohortative nitraʾeh {נִתְרָאֶ֥ה | ni-traʾ-eh} ‘let us meet/confront’, with pānîm {פָנִֽים | pā-nîm} marking a face-to-face encounter. The Hebrew infinitive constructs convey immediacy and inclusivity in the invitation. |