Genesis 24:59

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:59 Dimiserunt ergo eam, et nutricem illius, servumque Abraham, et comites eius,

So they sent her away, and her nurse, and the servant of Abraham, and his companions,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dimiserunt they sent away 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
2 ergo therefore / so CONJ
3 eam her ACC.SG.F PRON
4 et and CONJ
5 nutricem nurse ACC.SG.F
6 illius of her GEN.SG.F PRON
7 servumque and the servant ACC.SG.M + ENCL.CONJ
8 Abraham of Abraham GEN.SG.M PROPN
9 et and CONJ
10 comites companions ACC.PL.M
11 eius of him GEN.SG.M PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Dimiserunt ergo eam — perfect indicative verb dimiserunt serves as the primary predicate (“they sent away”), with ergo signaling logical consequence. The direct object eam refers to Rebecca, the focus of the departure.
Coordinated Objects: The conjunctions et and the enclitic -que link successive objects: nutricem illius (“her nurse”), servum Abraham (“the servant of Abraham”), and comites eius (“his companions”). Each expresses a coordinated departure group.
The syntax is paratactic and cumulative, typical of Latin narrative closure sequences. The rhythm reflects orderly completion of arrangements — all parties are released for the divinely guided journey to Yitsḥaq.

Morphology

  1. Dimiserunt — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Plural; Function: Main verb; Translation: “they sent away”; Notes: Marks formal dismissal and release; perfect denotes completed action.
  2. ergo — Lemma: ergo; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Logical connector; Translation: “therefore / so”; Notes: Indicates outcome following Rebecca’s consent.
  3. eam — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of Dimiserunt; Translation: “her”; Notes: Refers to Rebecca as the one being sent.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links multiple accusative nouns.
  5. nutricem — Lemma: nutrix; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Coordinated object; Translation: “nurse”; Notes: Companion and caretaker accompanying Rebecca.
  6. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: Pronoun (Demonstrative); Form: Genitive Singular Feminine; Function: Possessive modifier of nutricem; Translation: “of her”; Notes: Specifies belonging to Rebecca.
  7. servumque — Lemma: servus + que; Part of Speech: Noun + Enclitic; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Coordinated object; Translation: “and the servant”; Notes: Enclitic -que links to preceding list, emphasizing inclusion.
  8. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Genitive of possession modifying servum; Translation: “of Abraham”; Notes: Identifies servant as Abraham’s envoy.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links final object phrase; Translation: “and”; Notes: Adds final member of departure group.
  10. comites — Lemma: comes; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Direct object of Dimiserunt; Translation: “companions”; Notes: Refers to accompanying men in the servant’s caravan.
  11. eius — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Possessive modifier of comites; Translation: “of him”; Notes: Refers back to Abraham’s servant; completes the relational chain of travel party.

 

About Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Born around 346 A.D. in Stridon, St. Jerome was a scholar fluent in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew whose ascetic discipline and deep engagement with Scripture prepared him for a monumental task: translating the Bible into Latin. Commissioned by Pope Damasus I around 382 A.D., Jerome began by revising the flawed Old Latin Gospels, then expanded his work to the entire Bible. For the New Testament, he corrected Latin texts using Greek manuscripts; for the Old Testament, he translated most books directly from Hebrew—a controversial but principled choice. His final Psalter, however, followed the Greek Septuagint tradition for liturgical use. This composite translation, later known as the Vulgate (editio vulgata), became the authoritative biblical text of the Western Church, formally endorsed at the Council of Trent in 1546. The Vulgate’s influence extends beyond theology into textual criticism and Latin education. As one of the earliest translations grounded in original-language scholarship, it offers a vital witness to the state of biblical texts in late antiquity. Jerome’s lexical and syntactic decisions are studied to trace manuscript history and assess variant readings. Its elegant Latin, consistent in grammar and rich in vocabulary, became a model for medieval and Renaissance learning, bridging classical and ecclesiastical Latin. More than a translation, the Vulgate helped define Christian doctrine, preserved the Latin language, and laid essential groundwork for the critical study of Scripture—remaining indispensable to students of Latin, theology, and textual history.
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