וַיְהִ֗י בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֧ים וְשָׁלֹ֛שׁ שָׁנָ֖ה לַמֶּ֣לֶךְ יְהֹואָ֑שׁ לֹֽא־חִזְּק֥וּ הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים אֶת־בֶּ֥דֶק הַבָּֽיִת׃
And it was in the twenty-third year of King Yehōʾash that the priests had not repaired the breach of the house.
Morphology
- וַיְהִי (va-yehi) – Root: היה (h-y-h); Form: Qal wayyiqtol 3rd person masculine singular; Translation: “And it was”; Notes: Introduces a temporal narrative setting.
- בִּשְׁנַת (bishnat) – Root: שׁנה (sh-n-h); Form: Preposition + construct noun feminine singular; Translation: “in the year of”; Notes: Used in regnal dating formulas.
- עֶשְׂרִים וְשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנָה (ʿesrim ve-shalosh shanah) – Roots: עשר / שׁלש / שׁנה; Form: Cardinal number phrase; Translation: “twenty-three years”; Notes: The year of the king’s reign.
- לַמֶּלֶךְ (la-melekh) – Root: מלך (m-l-k); Form: Preposition + definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “of the king”; Notes: Possessive attribution of the regnal year.
- יְהוֹאָשׁ (Yehōʾash) – Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yehōʾash”; Notes: King of Yehudah mentioned in this chronological reference.
- לֹא (lo) – Form: Negative particle; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the following verb.
- חִזְּקוּ (ḥizzeku) – Root: חזק (ḥ-z-q); Form: Piel perfect 3rd person masculine plural; Translation: “they repaired” or “they strengthened”; Notes: Refers to the priests’ neglect of temple repairs.
- הַכֹּהֲנִים (ha-kohanim) – Root: כהן (k-h-n); Form: Definite plural noun; Translation: “the priests”; Notes: The subject who failed in the responsibility.
- אֶת־בֶּדֶק (et-bedeq) – Root: בֶּדֶק (b-d-q); Form: Direct object marker + noun masculine singular; Translation: “the breach”; Notes: Refers to the structural damage or disrepair.
- הַבָּיִת (ha-bayit) – Root: בית (b-y-t); Form: Definite noun masculine singular; Translation: “the house”; Notes: Refers specifically to the Temple (house of YHWH).