| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with a double imperative kum {ק֣וּם | kûm} ‘arise’ plus lekh {לֵ֤ךְ | lēḵ} ‘go’, heightening urgency. The place-name tsarfathah {צָרְפַ֙תָה֙ | ṣārp̄aṯāh} with the directional he signals movement toward Zarephath. Asher {אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʼăšer} introduces a relative clause specifying its relation to Sidon (le-tsidon {לְצִיד֔וֹן | lə-ṣīḏōn}). The verb ve-yashavta {וְיָשַׁבְתָּ֖ | wə-yā-šāḇtā} employs a vav-consecutive plus Qal perfect to indicate a future dwelling. Hinneh {הִנֵּ֨ה | hinnēh} transitions to divine speech, and tsiviti {צִוִּ֥יתִי | ṣivvītî} in the Piel perfect underscores the completed nature of God’s command. The juxtaposition ishah almanah {אִשָּׁ֥ה אַלְמָנָ֖ה | ʼiššāh ʾalmānāh} marks the woman by both gender and marital status, accentuating her vulnerable standing. Finally, the Piel infinitive construct le-khalkel’kha {לְכַלְכְּלֶֽךָ | lə-kal·kel·lê·ḵā} conveys the widow’s purpose ‘to sustain you’. |