| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the age construct ben-esrim ve-chamesh šānâ {בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְחָמֵ֤שׁ שָׁנָה֙ | bĕn-‘eś-rî·yim wə-ḥā·mêš šā·nâ} “son of twenty-five years,” where a noun in construct with cardinal numerals conveys age. The clause hayah be-malko {הָיָ֣ה בְמָלְכ֔וֹ | hā·yâ bə-mā·lə·ḵō} “he was in his reign” functions as a temporal marker indicating the start of his rule. A parallel numeric clause ve-esrim va-tesha šānâ malakh {וְעֶשְׂרִ֤ים וָתֵ֙שַׁע שָׁנָ֔ה מָלַ֖ךְ | wə-‘eś·rî·yim wā·ṯê·ša‘ šā·nâ mā·lāḵ} “and twenty and nine years he reigned” specifies duration. The prepositional phrase bi-rûšālayim {בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | bi-rū·šā·lǎ·yim} “in Jerusalem” designates location. The final nominal chain ve-shem immo avi bat-zecharyah {וְשֵׁ֣ם אִמּ֔וֹ אֲבִ֖י בַּת־זְכַרְיָֽה | wə-šēm ʾim·mō ʾǎ·vî baṯ-zə·kha·rî·yāh} “and the name of his mother was Abi, daughter of Zechariah” provides genealogical detail and closes the royal annal pattern. |