| 25. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the verb vehokhiakh {וְהוֹכִ֥חַ | wə-hô-kî-aḥ} ‘and he reproved’, followed by the subject Avraham {אַבְרָהָ֖ם | ʾaḇ-rā-hām} ‘Abraham’, forming the main clause. The particle et {אֶת־ | ʾeṯ} ‘direct object marker’ highlights Abimelekh {אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ | ʾă-ḇî-me-leḵ} ‘Abimelech’ as the object. The phrase al-odot {עַל־אֹדוֹת | ʿal-ʾō-ḏôṯ} ‘concerning matters’ introduces the issue, followed by the construct be'er hamayim {בְּאֵ֣ר הַמַּ֔יִם | bə-ʾēr ham-mā-yim} ‘well of the water’ as the contested property. The relative pronoun asher {אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾă-šer} ‘which’ links to the clause where gazlu {גָּזְל֖וּ | gāz-lû} ‘they seized’ takes avdei Avimelekh {עַבְדֵ֥י אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ | ʿaḇ-dê ʾăḇî-me-leḵ} ‘servants of Abimelech’ as its subject. English rendering adjusts word order for clarity while preserving the formal tone of a legal complaint and specifying the well as the focus of dispute. |