| 26. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with the fronted temporal phrase be-etsem ha-yom haz-zeh {בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה | bə-ʿe-ṣem ha-yôm haz-zeh} emphasizing exact timing. The verb nimol {נִמּ֖וֹל | nim-mōl} ‘was circumcised’ precedes its coordinated subject Avraham ve-yishmael {אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל | ʾaḇ-rā-hām wə-yiš-mā-ʿēl}, reflecting typical VSO order in Hebrew and conveying a concise report of a completed action. The appositional prepositional phrase be-no {בְּנֽוֹ | bə-nô} ‘his son’ clarifies Ishmael’s relationship, underscoring his inclusion in the Abrahamic covenant. |