| 34. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the wayyiqtol form vayagar {וַיָּ֧גָר | way-yā-gar} ‘and he sojourned’, where the prefixed vav-consecutive links this clause to the preceding narrative. The subject Avraham {אַבְרָהָ֛ם | ʾaḇ-rā-hām} follows the verb, illustrating the common verb–subject order in Hebrew narrative. The locative phrase be’erets {בְּאֶ֥רֶץ | bə-ʾe-reṣ} ‘in the land’ is immediately specified by the gentilic plishtim {פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים | pə-liš-tîm} ‘Philistines’, establishing a clear geopolitical setting. The temporal idiom yamim rabbim {יָמִ֥ם רַבִּֽים | yā-mîm rab-bîm} ‘many days’ conveys an indefinite prolonged period. In translation, the wayyiqtol verb is rendered with a simple past plus explicit subject to maintain readability, while the temporal idiom is rendered either literally in formal or idiomatically in dynamic to suit the register. |