| 14. Linguistic Exegesis The verse sequences three wayyiqtol verbs—vayikkach {וַיִּקַּח | wayyiq-qaḥ} “and he took,” vayiten {וַיִּתֵּן | way-yit-tēn} “and he gave,” and vayyashev {וַיָּשֶׁב | way-yā-šeb} “and he restored”—to narrate successive past actions. The prefixed vav-chain introduces a list of possessions: tson {צֹאן | ṣōʾn} “flock,” bakar {בָקָר | ḇā-qār} “cattle,” avadim {עֲבָדִים | ʿă-ḇā-dîm} “servants,” shefachot {שְׁפָחֹת | šə-fā-ḥōṯ} “maidservants.” The indirect object marker lə-ʾaḇ-rā-hām “to Abraham” identifies the beneficiary. In the final clause, the particle ʾēt “direct object marker” introduces Sarah ishto “Sarah his wife” as the specific item restored. English renders the Hebrew verb-first structure into a clear subject-verb-object order while preserving the movement from material gifts to marital restitution. |