| 9. Linguistic Exegesis The verse begins with the wayyiqtol verb vateire {וַתֵּ֨רֶא | wat-tê-reʾ} ‘and she saw’, foregrounding Sarah’s perception. The verb–subject order underscores immediacy. The direct object marker et {אֶת־ | ʾeṯ} introduces the construct chain ben Hagar ha-mitsrit {בֶּן־הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית | ben hā-mits-rît} ‘son of Hagar the Egyptian’, marking lineage and ethnicity. The relative clause asher yaldah le-Avraham {אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָה לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם | ʾă-šer yāl-də-ḏāh lə-ʾaḇ-rā-hām} specifies the boy’s parentage. The Piel participle metsahek {מְצַחֵֽק | mə-ṣa-ḥêq} ‘laughing’ functions resultively, conveying ongoing action and heightening narrative tension. |