| 1. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative opens with the locative conjunction ve-sham {וְשָׁם | wə-šām}, situating the event in its broader context. The Niphal perfect nikra {נִקְרָא | nî-qrāʾ} introduces Sheba passively as “was called,” framing him as an objective subject. The construct phrase ish beliyaal {אִישׁ בְּלִיַּעַל | ʾîš bə-lî-yaʿal} “man of worthlessness” employs a Hebrew construct chain to convey moral depravity. The vav-consecutive sequence va-yitka {וַיִּתְקַע | way-yiṯ-qaʿ} and va-yomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | way-yoʾ-mer} propels the action. The paired negatives ein-lanu chelek {אֵין־לָנוּ חֵלֶק | ʾên-lā-nû ḥē-leq} and ve-lo nachalahlanu {וְלֹא נַחֲלָה־לָנוּ | wə-lō na-ḥă-lā-hā-lā-nû} form a chiastic structure emphasizing total repudiation of Davidic rule. The distributive call ish le-ohalav yisrael {אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו יִשְׂרָאֵל | ʾîš lə-ʾō-hā-lāw yiś-rā-ʾēl} dissolves national unity. The English preserves these rhetorical devices idiomatically while maintaining emphatic force. |