| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The verse opens with vayomer {וַיֹּאמֶר | wayyōʾmer} introducing divine speech via the Qal wayyiqtol form. Elohim {אֱלֹהִים | ʾĕlōhîm} as subject signals God’s authority. The prepositional phrase el Avraham {אֶל־אַבְרָהָם | ʾel ʾaḇrāhām} marks the addressee. The prohibition al yera {אַל־יֵרַע | ʾal yēraʿ} combines the negative particle and jussive imperfect to convey “let it not be displeasing.” The idiom b'einekha {בְּעֵינֶיךָ | bəʿênêkā} ‘in your eyes’ expresses subjective perception. Two parallel phrases, al hana'ar {עַל־הַנַּעַר | ʿal hannāʿar} and ve'al amate'kha {וְעַל־אֲמָתֶךָ | wəʿal ʾămāteḵā}, specify the boy and the servant woman. The relative clause kol asher tomar eleikha Sarah {כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵלֶיךָ שָׂרָה} places Sarah’s instructions at the center. The imperative shema bekolaha {שְׁמַע בְּקֹלָהּ | šəmaʿ bəqōlāh} demands obedience. The causal clause ki beyitschak yikkare lekha zera {כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע | kî bəyiṣḥāq yiqqārēʾ ləḵā zeraʿ} highlights divine passive designation of the covenant line through Isaac. |