| 19. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the conjunction vegam {וְגַם | wə-gam} ‘and also’, signaling continuity with prior reforms. The construct chain kol battei habamot {כָּל־בָּתֵּי הַבָּמוֹת | kol bā-tê ha-bā-mōṯ} marks comprehensive removal of sanctuaries. Two relative clauses introduced by asher {אֲשֶׁר | ʾă-šer} specify location (Shomron) and agents (malchei Yisrael). The infinitive construct lehakh’is {לְהַכְעִיס | lə-hakh-ʿîs} ‘to provoke’ frames idolatry as deliberate offense against Yahweh. The main verbs hesir {הֵסִיר | hē-sîr} ‘removed’ and vayya’as {וַיַּעַשׂ | wə-ya-ʿăś} ‘and did’ form a vav-consecutive sequence, linking removal with subsequent action. The adverbial measure phrase kekol hama’asim asher asah beveit-El parallels Bethel and Samaria reforms, reinforcing Josiah’s consistent zeal. English ordering foregrounds purpose and subject before the relative clauses to preserve the Hebrew’s causal progression while enhancing clarity. |