Genesis 26:28

Posted on January 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 26:28 Qui responderunt: Vidimus tecum esse Dominum, et idcirco nos diximus: Sit iuramentum inter nos, et ineamus fœdus,

They answered: “We have seen that the LORD is with you, and therefore we said: Let there be an oath between us, and let us make a covenant,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Qui who NOM.PL.M.REL.PRON
2 responderunt they answered 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Vidimus we have seen 1PL.PERF.ACT.IND
4 tecum with you ABL.SG.M.PRON+PREP
5 esse to be INF.ACT.PRES
6 Dominum LORD ACC.SG.M
7 et and CONJ
8 idcirco therefore ADV
9 nos we NOM.PL.PRON
10 diximus we said 1PL.PERF.ACT.IND
11 Sit let there be 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
12 iuramentum oath NOM.SG.N
13 inter between PREP+ACC
14 nos us ACC.PL.PRON
15 et and CONJ
16 ineamus let us make 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
17 fœdus covenant ACC.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause: Qui responderunt — “Who answered.” Qui introduces a relative clause referring to Abimelech and his companions. responderunt is the perfect verb forming the main predicate.
Indirect Statement: Vidimus tecum esse Dominum — “We have seen that the LORD is with you.” The verb vidimus governs an infinitive clause with Dominum as the subject accusative and esse as the infinitive, while tecum expresses accompaniment.
Consequence Clause: et idcirco nos diximus — “and therefore we said.” idcirco introduces the reason or consequence following their observation.
Subjunctive Wishes: Sit iuramentum inter nos (“Let there be an oath between us”) and ineamus fœdus (“Let us make a covenant”) both express purpose or proposal through the subjunctive mood, reflecting formal treaty language.

Morphology

  1. Qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of clause; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to Abimelech, Ochozath, and Phicol.
  2. responderunt — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active 3rd person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “they answered”; Notes: Introduces the response to Isaac’s question.
  3. Vidimus — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active 1st person plural; Function: main verb of indirect statement; Translation: “we have seen”; Notes: Implies realization through observation.
  4. tecum — Lemma: te + cum; Part of Speech: pronoun with preposition; Form: ablative singular; Function: adverbial phrase; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Expresses companionship with Isaac.
  5. esse — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: infinitive in indirect statement; Translation: “to be”; Notes: Completes the verb “vidimus.”
  6. Dominum — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: subject accusative of infinitive; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, acknowledged by the Philistines as aiding Isaac.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links their observation to their conclusion.
  8. idcirco — Lemma: idcirco; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: expresses reason; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Marks causal inference.
  9. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative plural; Function: subject; Translation: “we”; Notes: Expresses collective decision.
  10. diximus — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active 1st person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “we said”; Notes: Introduces their proposal.
  11. Sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 3rd person singular; Function: jussive subjunctive; Translation: “let there be”; Notes: Expresses wish or command in formal language.
  12. iuramentum — Lemma: iuramentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of “sit”; Translation: “oath”; Notes: Central term for covenantal agreement.
  13. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses relation; Translation: “between”; Notes: Marks mutual bond.
  14. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: object of preposition; Translation: “us”; Notes: Indicates both parties involved in the covenant.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects parallel wishes; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links two subjunctive clauses.
  16. ineamus — Lemma: ineo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 1st person plural; Function: jussive subjunctive; Translation: “let us make”; Notes: Formal expression of mutual covenant-making.
  17. fœdus — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of “ineamus”; Translation: “covenant”; Notes: Represents treaty or alliance between Isaac and Abimelech’s 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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