| 10. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the sequential verb vayagged {וַיַּגֵּד | wayyaggāḏ} ‘and he reported,’ establishing a flow of events. The agent Shaphan {שָׁפָן | Shāphān}, marked by the participle hasopher {הַסּוֹפֵר | hassōpêr} ‘the scribe,’ clarifies his official role. The prepositional phrase lammélēk {לַמֶּלֶךְ | lammélēk} ‘to the king’ identifies the recipient of the message, and the formula leʾmôḏ {לֵאמֹר | leʾmôḏ} ‘saying’ introduces direct speech. The noun sêper {סֵפֶר | sêper} ‘book’ is the thematic focus, with Hilkiah the priest as source. The following clause begins with vayyiqraʾēhû {וַיִּקְרָאֵהוּ | wayyiqraʾēhû} ‘and he read it,’ a performative act, and concludes with liphney hammelēk {לִפְנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ | liphney hammelēk} ‘before the king,’ indicating setting. This ordering foregrounds the transmission and public declaration sequence, highlighting Shaphan’s dual function. |