| 15. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vayomer {וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | way-yo-mer} ‘and he said,’ a narrative vav consecutive introducing direct speech. The prepositional phrase elav {אֵלָ֔יו | ʾē-lā-yōw} marks the addressee. Two coordinated imperatives, lekh {לֵ֥ךְ | lēkh} ‘go’ and veekhol {וֶאֱכֹ֖ל | wə-ʾĕk-hōl} ‘eat,’ form a sequential command, with the directional he on habaytah {הַבָּ֑יְתָה | hab-bāy-tāh} signaling motion toward “the house.” The noun lakhem {לָֽחֶם | lā-ḥêm} functions as the object and by synecdoche denotes hospitality provision. The Hebrew word order and vav coordination maintain narrative momentum and emphasize relational ties between invitation and provision. |