וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ כָל־עַם֩ הָאָ֨רֶץ בֵּית־הַבַּ֜עַל וַֽיִּתְּצֻ֗הוּ אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָיו וְאֶת־צְלָמָיו֙ שִׁבְּר֣וּ הֵיטֵ֔ב וְאֵ֗ת מַתָּן֙ כֹּהֵ֣ן הַבַּ֔עַל הָרְג֖וּ לִפְנֵ֣י הַֽמִּזְבְּחֹ֑ות וַיָּ֧שֶׂם הַכֹּהֵ֛ן פְּקֻדֹּ֖ות עַל־בֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃
And all the people of the land came to the house of Baʿal and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke thoroughly, and Mattan the priest of Baʿal they killed before the altars. And the priest appointed overseers over the house of YHWH.
Morphology
- וַיָּבֹאוּ (va-yavoʾu) – Root: בוא (b-w-ʾ); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “And they came”; Notes: Refers to collective action of the people.
- כָל־עַם הָאָרֶץ (khol-ʿam ha-aretz) – Root: עם / ארץ (ʿ-m / ʾ-r-ts); Form: Construct chain; Translation: “all the people of the land”; Notes: Refers to the unified national populace.
- בֵּית־הַבַּעַל (beit-ha-Baʿal) – Root: בית / בעל (b-y-t / b-ʿ-l); Form: Construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “the house of Baʿal”; Notes: Temple dedicated to the Canaanite deity Baʿal.
- וַיִּתְּצֻהוּ (va-yittetsuhu) – Root: נתץ (n-t-ts); Form: Piel wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine plural + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “and they tore it down”; Notes: Destruction of the temple building.
- אֶת־מִזְבְּחֹתָיו (et-mizbḥotav) – Root: זבח (z-b-ḥ); Form: Direct object + plural noun + 3rd person masculine singular suffix; Translation: “his altars”; Notes: Refers to the cultic fixtures of Baʿal worship.
- וְאֶת־צְלָמָיו (ve-et-tselamav) – Root: צֶלֶם (ts-l-m); Form: Conjunction + direct object + plural noun + suffix; Translation: “and his images”; Notes: Idolatrous representations destroyed.
- שִׁבְּרוּ (shibberu) – Root: שׁבר (sh-b-r); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they broke”; Notes: Destruction of idols.
- הֵיטֵב (heitev) – Root: יטב (y-t-b); Form: Hifil infinitive absolute used adverbially; Translation: “thoroughly”; Notes: Emphasizes completeness of the destruction.
- וְאֵת מַתָּן כֹּהֵן הַבַּעַל (ve-et Mattan kohen ha-Baʿal) – Root: נתן (n-t-n); Form: Conjunction + proper noun + construct noun + definite noun; Translation: “and Mattan the priest of Baʿal”; Notes: Chief cultic official for Baʿal.
- הָרְגוּ (hargu) – Root: הרג (h-r-g); Form: Qal perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they killed”; Notes: Execution of the idolatrous priest.
- לִפְנֵי הַמִּזְבְּחֹות (lifnei ha-mizbḥot) – Root: פנה / זבח (p-n-h / z-b-ḥ); Form: Preposition + construct noun + definite plural; Translation: “before the altars”; Notes: Possibly where he served and was judged.
- וַיָּשֶׂם (va-yasem) – Root: שׂים (s-y-m); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “and he appointed”; Notes: Yehoyadaʿ acting in temple administration.
- הַכֹּהֵן (ha-kohen) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the priest”; Notes: Refers again to Yehoyadaʿ.
- פְּקֻדּוֹת (pekudot) – Root: פקד (p-q-d); Form: Plural feminine noun; Translation: “overseers” or “officers”; Notes: Administrative officials for the temple.
- עַל־בֵּית יְהוָה (ʿal-beit YHWH) – Root: בית (b-y-t); Form: Preposition + construct + divine name; Translation: “over the house of YHWH”; Notes: Temple governance transferred from Baʿal worship back to YHWH service.