| 16. Linguistic Exegesis The verse comprises a series of future-oriented vav-consecutive Piel and Qal perfect verbs that articulate divine promise. The initial uverakhti {וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י | ū-ḇē-raḵ-tî} ‘and I will bless’ introduces the first blessing clause with otah {אֹתָ֔הּ | ʾō-ṯāh} marking Sarah as its object. The conjunction vegam {וְגַ֨ם | wə-gam} ‘and also’ adds the following natatti {נָתַתִּי | nā-ṯat-tî} ‘I gave,’ which carries future force via the vav-consecutive. The phrase mimennah lekha {מִמֶּנָּה לְךָ | mi-mmēn-nāh lə-ḵā} ‘from her to you’ specifies the source and recipient of the promised son. Repetition of uverakhtiha {וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙ | ū-ḇē-raḵ-tî-hā} ‘and I will bless her’ intensifies the commitment to Sarah herself. The clause vehayetah legoyim {וְהָֽיְתָה לְגוֹיִם | wə-hā-yə-tāh lə-gō-yim} ‘and she will become for nations’ uses the preposition le to indicate resultant role. Finally, the construct chain malkei ammim mimennah yihyu {מַלְכֵ֥י עַמִּ֖ים מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיוּ | mal-kê ʿam-mîm mi-mmēn-nāh yi-hyû} ‘kings of peoples from her they will be’ places the source before the verb for emphasis, rendered in English as ‘kings … will come from her.’ |