Exodus 3:17

Posted on February 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 3:17 Et dixi ut educam vos de afflictione Ægypti in terram Chananæi et Hethæi et Amorrhæi et Pherezæi et Hevæi et Iebusæi, ad terram fluentem lacte et melle.

And I said that I would bring you out from the affliction of Egypt into the land of the Chananite and the Hethite and the Amorrhite and the Pherezite and the Hevite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 dixi I said 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 ut that SUB.CONJ
4 educam I may lead out 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
5 vos you ACC.PL PRON
6 de from PREP+ABL
7 afflictione affliction ABL.SG.F
8 Ægypti of Egypt GEN.SG.F
9 in into PREP+ACC
10 terram land ACC.SG.F
11 Chananæi of the Canaanite GEN.SG.M
12 et and CONJ
13 Hethæi of the Hittite GEN.SG.M
14 et and CONJ
15 Amorrhæi of the Amorite GEN.SG.M
16 et and CONJ
17 Pherezæi of the Perizzite GEN.SG.M
18 et and CONJ
19 Hevæi of the Hivite GEN.SG.M
20 et and CONJ
21 Iebusæi of the Jebusite GEN.SG.M
22 ad to PREP+ACC
23 terram land ACC.SG.F
24 fluentem flowing PRES.ACT.PTCP.ACC.SG.F
25 lacte with milk ABL.SG.N
26 et and CONJ
27 melle with honey ABL.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause:
Et dixi ut educam vos — “And I said that I would lead you out.”
• dixi = perfect verb introducing divine recollection.
• ut educam = purpose/promise clause with subjunctive.
• vos = direct object.

Source of Deliverance:
de afflictione Ægypti — “from the affliction of Egypt.”
• de + ablative = separation.
• Ægypti genitive modifies afflictione.

Destination Phrase:
in terram Chananæi … — “into the land of the Canaanite …”
• in + accusative = motion into.
• Series of genitives (Chananæi, Hethæi, etc.) naming the peoples inhabiting the land.

Final Descriptive Phrase:
ad terram fluentem lacte et melle — “to a land flowing with milk and honey.”
• fluentem agrees with terram.
• Ablatives lacte and melle express means/content.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links with previous divine speech; Translation: “and”; Notes: Common biblical connective.
  2. dixi — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st singular perfect active indicative; Function: introduces divine declaration; Translation: “I said”; Notes: Perfect recalls prior divine statement.
  3. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Governs subjunctive educam.
  4. educam — Lemma: educo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose; Translation: “I may lead out”; Notes: Subjunctive expressing divine intention.
  5. vos — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: direct object; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to Israel.
  6. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses separation; Translation: “from”; Notes: Used with nouns of removal or deliverance.
  7. afflictione — Lemma: afflictio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: “affliction”; Notes: Refers to Israel’s suffering in Egypt.
  8. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies afflictione; Translation: “of Egypt”; Notes: Genitive of source/location of oppression.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: motion into; Translation: “into”; Notes: Distinct from in + ablative.
  10. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “land”; Notes: Promised destination.
  11. Chananæi — Lemma: Chananæus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: “of the Canaanite”; Notes: Identifies one resident people.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects items; Translation: “and”; Notes: Coordinates the list of peoples.
  13. Hethæi — Lemma: Hethæus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: “of the Hittite”; Notes: One of the listed tribes.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: continues list; Translation: “and”; Notes: Standard coordination.
  15. Amorrhæi — Lemma: Amorrhæus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: “of the Amorite”; Notes: Another tribal inhabitant.
  16. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: continuation; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins next name.
  17. Pherezæi — Lemma: Pherezæus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: “of the Perizzite”; Notes: One of several native groups.
  18. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordination; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues list.
  19. Hevæi — Lemma: Hevæus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: “of the Hivite”; Notes: Another tribal inhabitant.
  20. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: continues list; Translation: “and”; Notes: Repetitive biblical style.
  21. Iebusæi — Lemma: Iebusæus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: “of the Jebusite”; Notes: Final member of list.
  22. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates movement toward; Translation: “to”; Notes: Expresses destination.
  23. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “land”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
  24. fluentem — Lemma: fluo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: “flowing”; Notes: Describes abundant fertility.
  25. lacte — Lemma: lac; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of content; Translation: “with milk”; Notes: Expresses richness of the land.
  26. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links ablatives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple coordination.
  27. melle — Lemma: mel; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of content; Translation: “with honey”; Notes: Completes idiom of abundance.

 

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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