| 14. Linguistic Exegesis vayyiqqach {וַיִּקַּ֨ח | vā-yiq-qaḥ} ‘and he took’ marks the start of the vav-consecutive narrative. The particle et {אֵת־ | ʾet} signals hasfarim {הַסְּפָרִים | has-fa-rim} ‘the letters’ as the definite object. Sequential actions follow with vayyiqraʼem {וַיִּקְרָאֵ֑ם | vā-yiq-rā-ʾem} ‘and he read them’, vayyaʻal {וַיַּעַל | vā-yyā-ʿal} ‘and he went up’, and vayyipreshehu {וַיִּפְרְשֵׂ֥הוּ | vā-yiṗ-rə-śē-hū} ‘and he spread it’. The construct beit Yahweh {בֵּ֣ית יְהוָה | bēt Yəh-wā-h} ‘house of the LORD’ establishes the sacred setting, while lifnei Yahweh {לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה | li-p̄-nê Yəh-wā-h} ‘before the LORD’ defines the posture of presentation. Repetition of Hezekiah’s name underscores the king’s deliberate ritual action. |