| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative begins with the prefixed imperfect verb vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōʾmer} ‘and he said,’ introducing direct speech. The prepositional address el-sarai {אֶל־שָׂרַי | ʾel-śārāy} specifies the addressee, paired with the emphatic particle hinneh {הִנֵּה | hinnēh} ‘behold/look.’ The construct phrase shifchātekh beyādekh {שִׁפְחָתֵךְ בְּיָדֵךְ | šipḥāṯēkh bəyāḏēkh} ‘your slave-woman is in your hand’ conveys ownership and authority through a noun-construct with a second person suffix. The command ʿăśî-lāh {עֲשִׂי־לָהּ | ʿăśî-lāh} ‘do to her’ with the qualitative clause haṭṭôv bēʿênāyikh {הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינָיִךְ | ha-ṭṭôv bēʿênāyēkh} ‘what is good in your eyes’ forms a directive subordinated to Sarai’s judgment. The narrative then resumes with vatteʿannēhā {וַתְּעַנֶּהָ | vatteʿannēhā} ‘and she afflicted her’ in Piel wayyiqtol followed by vattibrāḥ {וַתִּבְרַח | vattibrāḥ} ‘and she fled’ in Qal wayyiqtol, indicating immediate cause and effect. The final phrase mippənēhā {מִפְּנֵיהָ | mippənēhā} ‘from before her’ emphasizes relational confrontation. In English, the sequence of permission and oppressive action is maintained, and idiomatic expressions convey subjective judgment and urgent flight. |