Written in Stone: The Binyanim That Chronicle Kings

וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י בַעְשָׁ֛א וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה וּגְבֽוּרָתֹ֑ו הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (1 Kings 16:5)

And the rest of the acts of Baʿsha and what he did and his might—are they not written on the scroll of the chronicles of the kings of Yisraʾel?

Overview: A Verse That Closes a Reign

This verse comes from the formulaic closing lines used throughout Kings to wrap up a monarch’s story. Though seemingly simple, the verbs here carry narrative weight: they summarize action, emphasize remembrance, and close the curtain. The binyanim used—mainly Qal and Passive Qal (Qal Passive Participle)—mirror that tone. One verb affirms what the king did, while the other confirms it was written—sealed in historical memory.

The Two Key Verbs

1. עָשָׂ֖ה — “he did”
2. כְּתוּבִ֗ים — “they are written”

1. עָשָׂה — Qal Perfect, 3ms

Root: ע־שׂ־ה (to do, to make)

Binyan: Qal

Form:

– Qal Perfect 3rd person masculine singular
– Indicates completed action in the past

Function in the Verse:

– This verb summarizes Baʿsha’s reign. It’s the author’s way of closing the story with finality: “He did what he did.”
– The Qal form is active, direct, and historical—no embellishments.

Stylistic and Syntactic Note:

– The phrase וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה ties back to דִּבְרֵ֥י בַעְשָׁ֛א, forming a resumptive structure: not just a list of deeds, but specifically what he enacted.
– Qal is used to express the baseline narrative action—Baʿsha acted.

2. כְּתוּבִ֗ים — Qal Passive Participle, masculine plural

Root: כ־ת־ב (to write)

Binyan: Qal (Passive Participle)

Form:

– Masculine plural passive participle in construct with הֵ֣ם
– Describes the state of being written

Function in the Verse:

– Emphasizes that these events are recorded—not being written, not to be written, but already inscribed.
– The passive participle implies a settled, unchangeable status.

Literary Effect:

– Unlike verbs of action, this is a verbal adjective: it describes the condition of the deeds.
– The fact that Baʿsha’s actions are כְּתוּבִים gives them historical legitimacy.
– The passive aspect also underscores divine or official sanction—no one is writing them now; they are already sealed.

Table: Binyanim and Function in 1 Kings 16:5

Echoes of History: The Passive as Canon

Using the Qal Passive Participle כְּתוּבִים rather than an active verbal form like כָּתְבוּ or יִכְתְּבוּ subtly changes the meaning. The focus is not on who wrote—whether scribe or prophet—but on the permanence and accepted status of what was written.

In a sense, כְּתוּבִים acts as a literary seal: these acts have passed from living memory into canonical history. The passive voice creates a sense of finality, and even divine endorsement, reminiscent of sealed scrolls and fixed judgments.

From Act to Archive

This short verse presents two contrasting but complementary binyanim: Qal active for deeds done in the past, and Qal passive participle for those deeds remembered in the record. Together, they form a theological and literary statement:

Baʿsha acted.
And his acts are written.
No commentary. No apology. Just fact.

The binyanim don’t just tell the story—they seal it.