| 2. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vato’mer {וַתֹּאמֶר | wa-ttō-mer} ‘and she said’, a wayyiqtol form that propels the narrative and introduces direct discourse. The verb is followed by Sarai {שָׂרַי | śā-rai} as subject and el-avram {אֶל־אַבְרָם | ʾel-ʾav-rām} marking Abram as the addressee. The exhortation hinneh-na {הִנֵּה־נָא | hin-nēh-nā} ‘behold now’ frames the ensuing complaint. The clause atsarani Yahweh milledet {עֲצָרַנִי יְהוָה מִלֶּדֶת | ʿa-ṣa-ra-nî Yə-hō-wāh mil-le-ḏeṯ} attributes Sarai’s barrenness to divine restraint, with the infinitive milledet ‘from bearing’ specifying the domain. The imperative bo-na el-shifchati {בֹּא־נָא אֶל־שִׁפְחָתִי | bō-nā ʾel-šip-ḥā-ṯî} directs Abram to Hagar, and ulai ibbaneh mimmenah {אוּלַי אִבָּנֶה מִמֵּנָּה | ʾû-lay ʾib-bā-neh mim-mē-nāh} expresses uncertain hope of establishment through her. The final wayyiqtol vayishma Avram lekol Sarai {וַיִּשְׁמַע אַבְרָם לְקוֹל שָׂרָי | way-yish-maʿ ʾav-rām lə-qōl śā-rāy} uses the hearing verb with kol ‘voice’, conveying obedient response rather than mere perception. In rendering, hinneh-na becomes “See”/“Look” to engage the audience, milledet is rendered with “bearing”/“having children” to clarify infertility, and ibbaneh is kept as “be built up” to preserve the metaphor of lineage continuity. |