Exodus 32:13

Posted on March 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 32:13 Recordare Abraham, Isaac, et Israel servorum tuorum, quibus iurasti per temetipsum, dicens: Multiplicabo semen vestrum sicut stellas cæli: et universam terram hanc, de qua locutus sum, dabo semini vestro, et possidebitis eam semper.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants, to whom you swore by yourself, saying: ‘I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your offspring, and you shall possess it forever.’”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Recordare remember 2SG.PRES.DEP.IMP.MOOD 1ST CONJ
2 Abraham Abraham ACC.SG.M NOUN INDECL
3 Isaac Isaac ACC.SG.M NOUN INDECL
4 et and CONJ INDECL
5 Israel Israel ACC.SG.M NOUN INDECL
6 servorum of the servants GEN.PL.M NOUN 2ND DECL
7 tuorum of your GEN.PL.M POSS PRON
8 quibus to whom DAT.PL.M PRON REL
9 iurasti you swore 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
10 per by PREP+ACC INDECL
11 temetipsum your very self ACC.SG.M PRON REFL
12 dicens saying NOM.SG.M PTCP.PRES.ACT 3RD CONJ
13 Multiplicabo I will multiply 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
14 semen offspring ACC.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
15 vestrum of you GEN.PL PRON POSS
16 sicut like CONJ INDECL
17 stellas stars ACC.PL.F NOUN 1ST DECL
18 cæli of heaven GEN.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
19 et and CONJ INDECL
20 universam all ACC.SG.F ADJ POS
21 terram land ACC.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL
22 hanc this ACC.SG.F PRON DEM
23 de of which / about which PREP+ABL INDECL
24 qua which ABL.SG.F PRON REL
25 locutus having spoken NOM.SG.M PTCP.PERF.DEP 3RD CONJ
26 sum I have 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND IRREG
27 dabo I will give 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
28 semini to the offspring DAT.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
29 vestro of you / your DAT.SG.N POSS ADJ
30 et and CONJ INDECL
31 possidebitis you will possess 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND 2ND CONJ
32 eam it ACC.SG.F PRON DEM
33 semper forever ADV INDECL

Syntax

Main Imperative Clause:
Recordare Abraham, Isaac, et Israel servorum tuorum — direct appeal: “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel your servants.”
The three names (Abraham, Isaac, et Israel) form a coordinated object, further defined by the genitive phrase servorum tuorum (“your servants”).

Relative Clause of Reference:
quibus iurasti per temetipsum — “to whom you swore by yourself.”
quibus (dative plural) refers back to the patriarchs; per temetipsum is an intensive reflexive (“by your very self”), underscoring the solemnity of the oath.

Participial Link to Direct Speech:
dicens: introduces the content of the oath, functioning almost like “saying as follows.”

Oath Content — First Promise:
Multiplicabo semen vestrum sicut stellas cæli — “I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven.”
Future indicative (Multiplicabo) expresses a firm divine promise; sicut introduces the comparative standard.

Oath Content — Second Promise:
et universam terram hanc, de qua locutus sum, dabo semini vestro — “and all this land, of which I have spoken, I will give to your offspring.”
universam terram hanc is the direct object of dabo; the relative clause de qua locutus sum further specifies the land in view.

Final Coordinated Result:
et possidebitis eam semper — “and you shall possess it forever.”
Second person plural future indicative (possidebitis) shifts to the descendants as beneficiaries; semper expresses perpetual possession.

Morphology

  1. Recordare — Lemma: recordor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: second person singular present imperative deponent; Function: direct command to recall; Translation: remember; Notes: deponent imperative addressed to YHWH, characteristic of intercessory prayer.
  2. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine (indeclinable form used as object); Function: first member of the object list; Translation: Abraham; Notes: patriarch named as basis for covenant mercy.
  3. Isaac — Lemma: Isaac; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: second coordinated object; Translation: Isaac; Notes: continues the patriarchal triad.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links coordinated elements; Translation: and; Notes: simple additive connector.
  5. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: third coordinated object; Translation: Israel; Notes: here refers to Jacob, completing the covenant line.
  6. servorum — Lemma: servus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: genitive in apposition (“of the servants”); Translation: of the servants; Notes: marks the patriarchs as YHWH’s covenant servants.
  7. tuorum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun/adjective; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies servorum; Translation: your; Notes: highlights YHWH’s ownership and special relationship.
  8. quibus — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: indirect object of iurasti (“to whom”); Translation: to whom; Notes: could also be ablative of instrument (“by whom”), but context favors dative of advantage.
  9. iurasti — Lemma: iuro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of relative clause; Translation: you swore; Notes: refers to God’s unilateral oath to the patriarchs.
  10. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces the oath’s basis; Translation: by; Notes: standard preposition for swearing “by” someone.
  11. temetipsum — Lemma: temetipse; Part of Speech: intensive reflexive pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: your very self; Notes: emphatic form showing that God swears by Himself alone.
  12. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active; Function: circumstantial, introducing the content of the oath; Translation: saying; Notes: links the act of swearing to the promises that follow.
  13. Multiplicabo — Lemma: multiplico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of the quoted promise; Translation: I will multiply; Notes: expresses a firm future commitment, not mere possibility.
  14. semen — Lemma: semen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of Multiplicabo; Translation: offspring; Notes: collective singular referring to descendants as a whole.
  15. vestrum — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: genitive plural; Function: possessive genitive with semen; Translation: of you; Notes: semantically “your offspring,” with genitive showing ownership.
  16. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: conjunction/adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: like; Notes: sets the standard for the promised multiplication.
  17. stellas — Lemma: stella; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of the comparison; Translation: stars; Notes: image of vastness and innumerability.
  18. cæli — Lemma: cælum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter/masculine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of heaven; Notes: specifies the realm where the stars are seen.
  19. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates second promise with the first; Translation: and; Notes: binds the land promise to the seed promise.
  20. universam — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies terram; Translation: all; Notes: stresses totality of the land grant.
  21. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of dabo; Translation: land; Notes: covenant land in view.
  22. hanc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun/adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: deictic modifier of terram; Translation: this; Notes: indicates the specific land promised.
  23. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces relative phrase; Translation: of which / about which; Notes: here effectively “about which I have spoken.”
  24. qua — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: which; Notes: agrees with terra as its antecedent.
  25. locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: participle (deponent); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect; Function: part of periphrastic verb with sum; Translation: having spoken; Notes: deponent participle supplying verbal meaning.
  26. sum — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present indicative active; Function: auxiliary with locutus; Translation: I have; Notes: together “I have spoken.”
  27. dabo — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of the second promise; Translation: I will give; Notes: reiterates future certainty of the land gift.
  28. semini — Lemma: semen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular neuter; Function: indirect object of dabo; Translation: to the offspring; Notes: the same collective “seed” as earlier, now as recipient.
  29. vestro — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: dative singular neuter; Function: modifies semini; Translation: your; Notes: clarifies that the offspring belong to the patriarchs addressed.
  30. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links final result clause; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates divine act (dabo) with human experience (possidebitis).
  31. possidebitis — Lemma: possideo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb of final clause; Translation: you will possess; Notes: addressed to the descendants collectively, assuring future tenure.
  32. eam — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of possidebitis; Translation: it; Notes: refers back to terram hanc.
  33. semper — Lemma: semper; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: adverbial modifier of possidebitis; Translation: forever; Notes: emphasizes permanence of possession.

 

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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