| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with ve-et {וְאֶת־ | wə-ʾet} marking the direct objects “altars,” followed by ham-mizbechot {הַמִּזְבְּחוֹת | ha-miz-bê-ḥôṯ} which occurs twice to form a chiastic emphasis. Two relative clauses introduced by asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} with perfect verbs specify the altars on al ha-gagg ʿăl-yat ʾā-ḥāz {עַל־הַגָּג עֲלִיַּת אָחָז | ʿal} “on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz” and those ʿā-sāh men-aš-šeh {עָשָׂה מְנַשֶּׁה | ʿā-sāh} “he made, Manasseh” in bish-tê ḥat-ser-ôṯ bêt yĕ-hō-wāh {בִּשְׁתֵּי חַצְר֥וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָה | bish-tê} “the two courts of the house of Yahweh.” The main clause nā-taṣṣ ha-me-leḵ {נָתַ֣ץ הַמֶּלֶךְ | nā-taṣṣ} “the king tore down” uses a Qal perfect for completed decisive action. The vav-consecutive forms way-yā-rats and wə-hiš-likh {וַיָּ֣רָץ וְהִשְׁלִ֥יךְ | way-yā-rats} “and he rushed, and he threw” sequence the on-site destruction and disposal of ʿă-pā-rām {עֲפָרָ֖ם | ʿă-pā-rām} “their dust” into na-ḥāl qi-ḏrōן {נַחַל קִדְרֽוֹן | na-ḥāl}. The English omits direct-object markers and reorders clauses for clarity while preserving the Hebrew emphases and the chiastic structure. |