| 7. Linguistic Exegesis The narrative sequence begins with vatomer {וַתֹּ֗אמֶר | wat-tō-mer} ‘and she said’, using the vav-consecutive with the Qal imperfect to link Sarah’s reaction to prior events. The interrogative pronoun mi {מִ֤י | mî} ‘who’ introduces a rhetorical question of astonishment. The hypothetical clause with millel {מִלֵּל֙ | mil-lēl} ‘has spoken’ in the Piel perfect frames an assumed prior statement. The fronted Hiphil perfect verb hēnîqāh {הֵינִ֥יקָה | hē-nî-qāh} ‘would nurse’ placed before bānîm ‘children’ accentuates the surprising scenario. The conjunction kî {כִּֽי־ | kî} ‘for’ connects to the reality clause in the Qal perfect yāladtî {יָלַ֥דְתִּי | yā-lad-tî} ‘I have borne’. The prepositional phrase lîzqûnāw {לִזְקֻנָֽיו | lîz-qûnāw} ‘for his old age’ situates the fulfillment in the context of Abraham’s advanced years. This contrast of hypothetical and actual clauses underscores unexpected fulfillment. |