| 23. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the verb vayyikach {וַיִּקַּ֨ח | wayyiqqaḥ} ‘and he took’, using the Qal wayyiqtol with vav consecutive to link back to God’s command. The subject Avraham {אַבְרָהָם | ʾaḇrāhām} ‘Abraham’ follows the verb, emphasizing his action. A series of objects marked by et/ve-et {אֶת/וְאֵת | ʾeṯ/wə-ʾēṯ} enumerates covenant participants: Yishmaʿel beno {יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ | yišmāʿēl bə-nô}, kol-ye-lidei beito {כָּל־יְלִידֵי בֵיתוֹ | kol-yəlīḏē bê-ṯō}, kol-miqnat kaspo {כָּל־מִקְנַת כַּסְפּוֹ | kol-miqnaṯ kas-pō}. The repeated kol {כָּל | kol} intensifies the covenant’s inclusivity. The phrase kol-zakhar be-anshei beit Avraham {כָל־זָכָר בְּאַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אַבְרָהָם | kol-zāḵār bə-ʾanšê bê-ṯ ʾaḇrāhām} specifies every male member. A second wayyiqtol, vayyamal {וַיָּמָל | wayyāmol} ‘and he circumcised’, introduces the covenant ritual. Its object et besar orlatam {אֶת־בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתָם | ʾeṯ bə-śār ʿor-lā-ṯām} ‘the flesh of their foreskin’ defines the sign. The idiom be-etsem hayom hazzeh {בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה | bə-ʿe-ṣem ha-yôm haz-zeh} ‘on that very day’ conveys immediate obedience. The clause ka-asher dibber itto Elohim {כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ אֱלֹהִים | ka-ʾă-šer dib-bēr ʾit-tō ʾĕlōhîm} ‘just as God had spoken to him’ connects Abraham’s action directly to the divine command. |