Genesis 27:37

Posted on January 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 27:37 Respondit Isaac: Dominum tuum illum constitui, et omnes fratres eius servituti illius subiugavi: frumento et vino stabilivi eum, et tibi post hæc, fili mi, ultra quid faciam?

Isaac answered: “I have appointed him your lord, and all his brothers I have subjected to his service; with grain and wine I have established him, and for you, my son, after this, what more can I do?”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Respondit answered 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Isaac Isaac NOM.SG.M
3 Dominum lord ACC.SG.M
4 tuum your ACC.SG.M.POSS.ADJ
5 illum him ACC.SG.M.DEM.PRON
6 constitui I have appointed 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
7 et and CONJ
8 omnes all ACC.PL.M
9 fratres brothers ACC.PL.M
10 eius of him GEN.SG.M.PRON
11 servituti to service DAT.SG.F
12 illius of him GEN.SG.M.DEM.PRON
13 subiugavi I have subjected 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
14 frumento with grain ABL.SG.N
15 et and CONJ
16 vino with wine ABL.SG.N
17 stabilivi I have established 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
18 eum him ACC.SG.M.PRON
19 et and CONJ
20 tibi for you DAT.SG.2ND.PRON
21 post after PREP+ACC
22 hæc these things ACC.PL.N.DEM.PRON
23 fili my son VOC.SG.M
24 mi my VOC.SG.M.POSS.ADJ
25 ultra beyond / more ADV
26 quid what ACC.SG.N.INTERROG.PRON
27 faciam may I do 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Main Clause: Respondit Isaac — “Isaac answered.” The perfect tense shows completed response after Esau’s plea.
Subordinate Clauses:
– Dominum tuum illum constitui — “I have appointed him your lord.” Perfect active with double accusative structure (object + predicate accusative).
– et omnes fratres eius servituti illius subiugavi — Parallel perfects express completed subjection of Jacob’s kin.
– frumento et vino stabilivi eum — Ablative of means denotes the material or provision guaranteeing Jacob’s stability.
– et tibi post hæc, fili mi, ultra quid faciam? — Interrogative rhetorical clause implying futility; subjunctive “faciam” reflects deliberation or uncertainty.

Morphology

  1. Respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active 3rd person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “answered”; Notes: Introduces Isaac’s authoritative reply, marking narrative transition.
  2. Isaac — Lemma: Isaac; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Isaac”; Notes: Patriarch and speaker of the sentence.
  3. Dominum — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: predicate accusative; Translation: “lord”; Notes: Forms part of the double accusative with “illum” as direct object, showing Jacob’s elevation over Esau.
  4. tuum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies “Dominum”; Translation: “your”; Notes: Emphasizes Esau’s subordination to Jacob.
  5. illum — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Jacob, showing he is the recipient of divine favor.
  6. constitui — Lemma: constituo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active 1st person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I have appointed”; Notes: Indicates completed establishment of authority, unchangeable in context.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: connects clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links sequential blessings and pronouncements by Isaac.
  8. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies “fratres”; Translation: “all”; Notes: Encompasses the totality of Jacob’s kin, including Esau’s lineage.
  9. fratres — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “brothers”; Notes: Indicates subjugation of Esau and his descendants.
  10. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive; Translation: “of him”; Notes: Refers to Jacob, expressing possession over those subjected.
  11. servituti — Lemma: servitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to service”; Notes: Marks the dative of purpose — “for service.”
  12. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive; Translation: “of him”; Notes: Emphasizes Jacob’s dominion.
  13. subiugavi — Lemma: subiugo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active 1st person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I have subjected”; Notes: Reflects total submission — an agrarian metaphor for placing under a yoke.
  14. frumento — Lemma: frumentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of means; Translation: “with grain”; Notes: Symbolizes sustenance and material prosperity granted to Jacob.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: coordination; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links two means of blessing — physical and agricultural abundance.
  16. vino — Lemma: vinum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of means; Translation: “with wine”; Notes: Denotes joy, festivity, and divine favor associated with covenant blessings.
  17. stabilivi — Lemma: stabilio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active 1st person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I have established”; Notes: The verb conveys security and permanence, suggesting divine firmness in Jacob’s inheritance.
  18. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers again to Jacob, the one divinely confirmed in blessing.
  19. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: coordinating; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links conclusion of blessing with rhetorical question.
  20. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular second person; Function: indirect object; Translation: “for you”; Notes: Indicates Esau as recipient of inquiry — “what is left for you?”
  21. post — Lemma: post; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses time following; Translation: “after”; Notes: Temporal preposition marking sequence of blessings already given.
  22. hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of “post”; Translation: “these things”; Notes: Refers to all prior blessings Isaac bestowed upon Jacob.
  23. fili — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: address; Translation: “son”; Notes: A tender form of address expressing compassion amidst rejection.
  24. mi — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: modifies “fili”; Translation: “my”; Notes: Softens the statement emotionally, conveying sorrow toward Esau.
  25. ultra — Lemma: ultra; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: adverbial modifier; Translation: “beyond / more”; Notes: Used to express futility — there is nothing further Isaac can do.
  26. quid — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: interrogative object; Translation: “what”; Notes: Introduces rhetorical question expecting no answer.
  27. faciam — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 1st person singular; Function: deliberative subjunctive; Translation: “may I do”; Notes: Reflects resignation — Isaac recognizes divine finality in Jacob’s blessing.

 

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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