| 21. Linguistic Exegesis wə-ʾeṯ-bə-rîṯî {וְאֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י | wə-ʾeṯ-bə-rîṯî} ‘and (as-for) My covenant’ employs object fronting to set the covenant theme. ʾā-qîm {אָקִים | ʾā-qîm} ‘I will establish’ in the Hiphil imperfect emphasizes a future causative divine decree. ʾeṯ-yiṣḥāq {אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק | ʾeṯ-yiṣḥāq} tightly binds Isaac as the covenant heir, with the relative clause ʾăšer tē-lēḏ lə-ḵā śā-rāh {אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד לְךָ שָׂרָה} highlighting promised birth. The temporal chain la-mmô-ʿēd haz-zeh baš-šānāh hā-ʾaḥe-ret {לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה בַּשָּׁנָה הָאַחֶרֶת} merges “appointed time,” “this,” and “next year” into a precise schedule. The initial vav is rendered “Yet” to mark contrast with earlier offspring promises, underscoring divine sovereignty over timing. |