| 6. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the vav-consecutive vattomer {וַתֹּאמֶר | wattōʾmer} introducing direct speech in a wayyiqtol narrative sequence. The fronted noun tsekhok {צְחֹק | ṣəḥōq} heightens the emotional focus, followed by the verb asah {עָשָׂה | ʿāśāh} and the indirect object li {לִי | lî} preceding the agent Elohim {אֱלֹהִים | ʾĕlōhîm}, which foregrounds divine agency in Sarah’s joy. The participle kol-hashomea {כָּל־הַשֹּׁמֵעַ | kol-haššōmēaʿ} functions as a generic audience marker, and the imperfect yitskhak-li {יִֽצְחַק־לִֽי | yiṣḥaq-lî} expresses a future communal reaction. The placement of li in yitskhak-li emphasizes the personal orientation of the laughter, which contextually carries nuanced meaning of rejoicing over Sarah’s blessing. |