וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ לְיִצְחָ֗ק וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אַ֣ךְ הִנֵּ֤ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ הִ֔וא וְאֵ֥יךְ אָמַ֖רְתָּ אֲחֹ֣תִי הִ֑וא וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ יִצְחָ֔ק כִּ֣י אָמַ֔רְתִּי פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת עָלֶֽיהָ׃
And Avimelekh called to Yitsḥaq and said, “Behold, she is your wife! How then did you say, ‘She is my sister’?” And Yitsḥaq said to him, “Because I thought, “‘Lest I die on account of her.’”
Morphology
- וַיִּקְרָ֨א (Va-yiqra) – Root: קרא (q-r-a); Form: Qal, imperfect, 3ms with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he called”; Notes: Refers to summoning or addressing someone.
- אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ (Avimelekh) – Root: אב (a-v) + מלך (m-l-k); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Avimelekh”; Notes: Name of the Philistine king.
- לְיִצְחָ֗ק (Le-Yitsḥaq) – Root: צחק (ts-ḥ-q); Form: Proper noun with preposition; Translation: “To Yitsḥaq”; Notes: Refers to the patriarch.
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (Va-yomer) – Root: אמר (a-m-r); Form: Qal, imperfect, 3ms with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech.
- אַ֣ךְ (Akh) – Form: Particle; Translation: “Indeed”; Notes: Indicates emphasis or confirmation.
- הִנֵּ֤ה (Hineh) – Form: Interjection; Translation: “Behold”; Notes: Used to draw attention.
- אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ (Ishtekha) – Root: אישׁ (i-sh); Form: Noun, singular construct with 2ms suffix; Translation: “Your wife”; Notes: Refers to Rivqa.
- הִ֔וא (Hi) – Form: Pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “She is”; Notes: Used for emphasis.
- וְאֵ֥יךְ (Ve-eikh) – Form: Interrogative; Translation: “And how”; Notes: Introduces a question.
- אָמַ֖רְתָּ (Amarta) – Root: אמר (a-m-r); Form: Qal, perfect, 2ms; Translation: “Did you say”; Notes: Refers to Yitsḥaq’s previous statement.
- אֲחֹתִ֣י (Aḥoti) – Root: אחות (a-ḥ-w-t); Form: Noun, singular construct with 1cs suffix; Translation: “My sister”; Notes: Refers to Yitsḥaq’s claim.
- הִ֑וא (Hi) – Form: Pronoun, feminine singular; Translation: “She is”; Notes: Reiterates his statement.
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (Va-yomer) – Root: אמר (a-m-r); Form: Qal, imperfect, 3ms with vav-consecutive; Translation: “And he said”; Notes: Yitsḥaq’s response.
- אֵלָ֙יו֙ (Elav) – Root: אל (a-l); Form: Preposition with 3ms suffix; Translation: “To him”; Notes: Refers to Avimelekh.
- יִצְחָ֔ק (Yitsḥaq) – Root: צחק (ts-ḥ-q); Form: Proper noun; Translation: “Yitsḥaq”; Notes: Subject of the speech.
- כִּ֣י (Ki) – Form: Conjunction; Translation: “Because”; Notes: Introduces the reason.
- אָמַ֔רְתִּי (Amarti) – Root: אמר (a-m-r); Form: Qal, perfect, 1cs; Translation: “I thought”; Notes: Explains Yitsḥaq’s reasoning.
- פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת (Pen-amut) – Root: מות (m-w-t); Form: Qal, imperfect, 1cs; Translation: “Lest I die”; Notes: Expresses fear of harm.
- עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (Aleha) – Root: על (a-l); Form: Preposition with 3fs suffix; Translation: “On account of her”; Notes: Refers to Rivqa.
Morphological Analysis
וַיִּקְרָ֨א (wayyiqrāʾ)
- Root: קרא (qrʾ)
- Form: Qal Imperfect 3ms with conversive vav
- Translation: “And he called”
אֲבִימֶ֜לֶךְ (ʾăvîmeleḵ)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Abimelech”
לְיִצְחָ֗ק (lə·yiṣ·ḥāq)
- Root: יצחק (yṣḥq)
- Form: Proper noun with preposition
- Translation: “to Isaac”
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (wayyōʾmer)
- Root: אמר (ʾmr)
- Form: Qal Imperfect 3ms with conversive vav
- Translation: “and he said”
אַ֣ךְ (ʾaḵ)
- Form: Particle
- Translation: “Behold” or “Indeed”
הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh)
- Form: Particle
- Translation: “Behold”
אִשְׁתְּךָ֙ (ʾiš·tə·ḵā)
- Root: אשה (ʾšh)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular with 2ms suffix
- Translation: “your wife”
הִ֔וא (hîʾ)
- Form: Pronoun, 3fs
- Translation: “she is”
וְאֵ֥יךְ (wə·ʾêḵ)
- Form: Interrogative adverb
- Translation: “and how”
אָמַ֖רְתָּ (ʾā·mar·tā)
- Root: אמר (ʾmr)
- Form: Qal Perfect 2ms
- Translation: “did you say”
אֲחֹ֣תִי (ʾă·ḥō·ṯî)
- Root: אחות (ʾḥwt)
- Form: Noun, feminine singular with 1cs suffix
- Translation: “my sister”
הִ֑וא (hîʾ)
- Form: Pronoun, 3fs
- Translation: “she is”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (wayyōʾmer)
- Root: אמר (ʾmr)
- Form: Qal Imperfect 3ms with conversive vav
- Translation: “and he said”
אֵלָיו֙ (ʾêlāw)
- Root: אל (ʾl)
- Form: Preposition with 3ms suffix
- Translation: “to him”
יִצְחָ֔ק (yiṣḥāq)
- Form: Proper noun, masculine singular
- Translation: “Isaac”
כִּ֣י (kî)
- Form: Conjunction
- Translation: “because”
אָמַ֔רְתִּי (ʾā·mar·tî)
- Root: אמר (ʾmr)
- Form: Qal Perfect 1cs
- Translation: “I said”
פֶּן־אָמ֖וּת (pen-ʾā·mūṯ)
- Root: מות (mwt)
- Form: Qal Imperfect 1cs with particle
- Translation: “lest I die”
עָלֶֽיהָ (ʿā·le·hā)
- Root: על (ʿl)
- Form: Preposition with 3fs suffix
- Translation: “because of her”
Grammatical Analysis
The Qal imperfect verb וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (“and he said”) with the conversive vav indicates narrative progression. The particle אַךְ (“indeed”) adds emphasis to Abimelech’s realization. The interrogative וְאֵ֥יךְ (“and how”) introduces a question that reveals disbelief or surprise. The perfect verb אָמַ֖רְתָּ (“did you say”) indicates a completed action of Isaac’s statement.
Lexical Semantics and Word Study
- קרא (qrʾ): To call or summon. This verb is used to denote an action of summoning someone for communication or confrontation.
- אחות (ʾḥwt): Sister. In this context, it is used by Isaac to imply a non-marital relationship for protective purposes.
- מות (mwt): To die. This verb conveys the fear of potential death or harm.
Textual Criticism
This verse is consistent across the Masoretic Text and other major textual witnesses, such as the Septuagint. The Hebrew structure and vocabulary used align with similar narratives in Genesis where patriarchs face threats and use deception to protect themselves and their families. There are no significant textual variants that alter the meaning, and the use of terms like אחות (sister) and מות (die) are understood in the context of Isaac’s fear of harm due to Rebekah’s beauty.