| 5. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the temporal adverb az {אָז | ʾōz} ‘then,’ establishing narrative sequence. The subjects are two construct noun phrases, retsin melech-aram {רְצִן מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם | reṣīn mê-leḵ-’ă-rām} and pekah ben-remalyahu {פֶקַח בֶּן־רְמַלְיָהוּ | pē-qaḥ ben-rə-mal-yā-hû}, specifying the rulers. The Vav consecutive imperfect ya‘aleh {יַעֲלֶה | ya‘ă-lêh} signals the ascent with purpose marked by the locative phrase yerushalayim la-milchamah {יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לַמִּלְחָמָה | yərū-ša-layim la-mil-ḥā-māh}. The narrative continues with vayatsuru {וַיָּצֻרוּ | vá-ya-ṣû-rū}, a plural imperfect indicating the coalition’s siege against Ahaz via al-akhaz {עַל־אָחָז | al-’ā-ḥāz}. The paired negation velo yakhlu lehilachem {וְלֹ֥א יָכְלוּ לְהִלָּחֵֽם | wə-lō yāḵ-lū lə-hi-lla-ḥê-m} forms a negated infinitive construction expressing inability, thus emphasizing the campaign’s failure despite the siege. |