Genesis 24:60

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:60 imprecantes prospera sorori suæ, atque dicentes: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia, et possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum.

blessing their sister with good wishes, they said: “You are our sister; may you grow into thousands of thousands, and may your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 imprecantes blessing / invoking NOM.PL.M PTC.PRES.ACT
2 prospera prosperous things / good fortune ACC.PL.N ADJ
3 sorori to their sister DAT.SG.F
4 suæ their own GEN.SG.F POSS.ADJ
5 atque and also CONJ
6 dicentes saying NOM.PL.M PTC.PRES.ACT
7 Soror sister NOM.SG.F
8 nostra our NOM.SG.F POSS.ADJ
9 es you are 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
10 crescas may you grow 2SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
11 in into PREP+ACC
12 mille a thousand ACC.PL.N NUM
13 millia thousands ACC.PL.N
14 et and CONJ
15 possideat may possess 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
16 semen seed / offspring NOM.SG.N
17 tuum your NOM.SG.N POSS.ADJ
18 portas gates ACC.PL.F
19 inimicorum of enemies GEN.PL.M
20 suorum their own GEN.PL.M POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Participial Phrase: imprecantes prospera sorori suæ — ablative absolute construction with imprecantes (present active participle) and its object prospera, governing sorori suæ (“their sister”). It means “invoking blessings of prosperity upon their sister.”
Main Clause: atque dicentes — participle introducing direct speech, linking with the preceding ablative absolute and continuing the narrative action of blessing.
Direct Speech: Soror nostra es, crescas in mille millia — two independent clauses: the first a declaration (es = “you are”), the second a subjunctive expressing a benediction or wish (crescas = “may you grow”). The phrase in mille millia uses a distributive hyperbole meaning “into countless multitudes.”
Subjunctive Wish: possideat semen tuum portas inimicorum suorum — subjunctive of prayer or blessing; subject semen tuum (“your offspring”) and object portas inimicorum suorum (“the gates of their enemies”) evoke triumph and divine favor.
The syntax mirrors Semitic blessing formulas, resonating with covenantal language of multiplication and dominion.

Morphology

  1. imprecantes — Lemma: imprecor; Part of Speech: Verb (Deponent, Participle); Form: Nominative Plural Masculine Present Active Participle; Function: Circumstantial participle; Translation: “blessing / invoking”; Notes: Deponent verb used in active sense; signals formal blessing act.
  2. prospera — Lemma: prosperus; Part of Speech: Adjective used substantively; Form: Accusative Plural Neuter; Function: Direct object of imprecantes; Translation: “blessings / good fortune”; Notes: Refers to general well-being and divine success.
  3. sorori — Lemma: soror; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Dative Singular Feminine; Function: Indirect object; Translation: “to (their) sister”; Notes: Recipient of the blessing.
  4. suæ — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive Reflexive); Form: Genitive Singular Feminine; Function: Possessive modifier of sorori; Translation: “their own”; Notes: Reflexive to subject of imprecantes.
  5. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects actions; Translation: “and also”; Notes: Strengthens linkage to following participle dicentes.
  6. dicentes — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb (Participle); Form: Nominative Plural Masculine Present Active Participle; Function: Introduces direct speech; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Continues participial chain expressing the blessing act.
  7. Soror — Lemma: soror; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Feminine; Function: Predicate nominative; Translation: “sister”; Notes: Address to Rebecca, reaffirming kinship.
  8. nostra — Lemma: noster; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive); Form: Nominative Singular Feminine; Function: Modifies Soror; Translation: “our”; Notes: Affectionate familial possessive.
  9. es — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative Second Person Singular; Function: Copula; Translation: “you are”; Notes: Identifies subject within familial blessing.
  10. crescas — Lemma: cresco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Subjunctive Second Person Singular; Function: Subjunctive of wish; Translation: “may you grow”; Notes: Typical benedictory subjunctive in blessings.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Indicates transformation; Translation: “into”; Notes: Expresses resultant state or magnitude.
  12. mille — Lemma: mille; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Invariable; Function: Quantifier with millia; Translation: “thousand”; Notes: Serves as distributive intensifier.
  13. millia — Lemma: milia; Part of Speech: Noun (Plural of mille); Form: Accusative Plural Neuter; Function: Object of in; Translation: “thousands”; Notes: Expresses enormous numerical blessing.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects two wishes; Translation: “and”; Notes: Coordinates dual benedictions.
  15. possideat — Lemma: possideo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Subjunctive Third Person Singular; Function: Subjunctive of wish; Translation: “may (he) possess”; Notes: Prophetic element anticipating conquest and inheritance.
  16. semen — Lemma: semen; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Neuter; Function: Subject of possideat; Translation: “seed / offspring”; Notes: Thematic link to Abrahamic covenant promises.
  17. tuum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive); Form: Nominative Singular Neuter; Function: Modifies semen; Translation: “your”; Notes: Directs blessing toward Rebecca’s lineage.
  18. portas — Lemma: porta; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Feminine; Function: Object of possideat; Translation: “gates”; Notes: Symbol of power, control, and dominion.
  19. inimicorum — Lemma: inimicus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive Plural Masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying portas; Translation: “of enemies”; Notes: Denotes those opposed to the blessed lineage.
  20. suorum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive Reflexive); Form: Genitive Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies inimicorum; Translation: “their own”; Notes: Reflexive to semen tuum, emphasizing inheritance and victory over personal foes.

 

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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