Genesis 19:2

Posted on January 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 19:2 et dixit: Obsecro, domini, declinate in domum pueri vestri, et manete ibi: lavate pedes vestros, et mane proficiscemini in viam vestram. Qui dixerunt: Minime, sed in platea manebimus.

And he said: “I beg you, my lords, turn aside into the house of your servant and stay there; wash your feet, and in the morning you will set out on your way.” And they said: “No, but we will stay in the street.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 dixit he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Obsecro I beg / I entreat 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
4 domini lords / my lords VOC.PL.M
5 declinate turn aside 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
6 in into / to PREP+ACC
7 domum house ACC.SG.F
8 pueri of your servant GEN.SG.M
9 vestri your GEN.PL.M.PRON
10 et and CONJ
11 manete stay / remain 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
12 ibi there ADV
13 lavate wash 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
14 pedes feet ACC.PL.M
15 vestros your ACC.PL.M.POSS.ADJ
16 et and CONJ
17 mane in the morning ABL.SG.N
18 proficiscemini you will set out 2PL.FUT.DEP.IND
19 in on / along PREP+ACC
20 viam way / road ACC.SG.F
21 vestram your ACC.SG.F.POSS.ADJ
22 Qui who NOM.PL.M.REL.PRON
23 dixerunt they said 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
24 Minime no / by no means ADV
25 sed but CONJ.ADV
26 in in PREP+ABL
27 platea street / square ABL.SG.F
28 manebimus we will stay 1PL.FUT.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Speech: et dixit: Obsecro, domini, declinate in domum pueri vestri… — The imperative verbs declinate and manete form a hospitable plea: “turn aside and stay.” The vocative domini reflects Lot’s reverence toward the visitors, whom he recognizes as beings of authority.
Purpose Clause (Polite Imperatives): lavate pedes vestros, et mane proficiscemini in viam vestram — Commands of courtesy and rest, typical of ancient hospitality: washing the feet of travelers and offering rest before departure.
Relative Clause of Response: Qui dixerunt: Minime, sed in platea manebimus — The pronoun Qui refers to the angels. Their answer begins with Minime (“by no means”) as a polite but firm refusal. In platea manebimus (“we will stay in the street”) indicates their intent to remain outside, setting up the narrative tension that follows.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins this speech to the previous verse; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects Lot’s action of greeting with his speech of invitation.
  2. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, third person singular; Function: introduces direct speech; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Marks Lot’s immediate verbal response to the angels.
  3. Obsecro — Lemma: obsecro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, first person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I beg / I entreat”; Notes: Expresses strong hospitality and reverence; typical Semitic politeness formula.
  4. domini — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative plural masculine; Function: direct address; Translation: “lords / my lords”; Notes: Reflects Lot’s deference, possibly recognizing angelic dignity.
  5. declinate — Lemma: declino; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative, second person plural; Function: imperative of invitation; Translation: “turn aside”; Notes: Typical hospitality formula inviting guests indoors.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: marks motion toward; Translation: “into”; Notes: Denotes movement into Lot’s house.
  7. domum — Lemma: domus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: “house”; Notes: Refers to Lot’s residence in Sodom.
  8. pueri — Lemma: puer; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: “of your servant”; Notes: Humble self-reference by Lot; parallels Hebrew עַבְדֶּךָ (ʿavdeka).
  9. vestri — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies “pueri”; Translation: “your”; Notes: Enhances politeness and formality in address.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects sequential imperatives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues Lot’s hospitable instructions.
  11. manete — Lemma: maneo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative, second person plural; Function: imperative of residence; Translation: “stay”; Notes: Hospitality extended with invitation to rest overnight.
  12. ibi — Lemma: ibi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates location within Lot’s home.
  13. lavate — Lemma: lavo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative, second person plural; Function: imperative of courtesy; Translation: “wash”; Notes: A standard act of hospitality for travelers’ comfort.
  14. pedes — Lemma: pes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “lavate”; Translation: “feet”; Notes: Culturally symbolic of humble service.
  15. vestros — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies “pedes”; Translation: “your”; Notes: Reinforces respect and attention to the guests’ comfort.
  16. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins final action; Translation: “and”; Notes: Sequential connector in Lot’s proposal.
  17. mane — Lemma: mane; Part of Speech: noun (used adverbially); Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: “in the morning”; Notes: Temporal adverb denoting departure time.
  18. proficiscemini — Lemma: proficiscor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: future indicative, second person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “you will set out”; Notes: Deponent verb expressing polite planning for guests’ journey.
  19. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates direction; Translation: “on / along”; Notes: Describes continuation of movement along their path.
  20. viam — Lemma: via; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of “in”; Translation: “way / road”; Notes: Refers to the route of their mission.
  21. vestram — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies “viam”; Translation: “your”; Notes: Emphasizes the travelers’ chosen path, not Lot’s.
  22. Qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of “dixerunt”; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to the angels responding to Lot.
  23. dixerunt — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, third person plural; Function: introduces reply; Translation: “they said”; Notes: Marks the angels’ reply in direct discourse.
  24. Minime — Lemma: minime; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: emphatic negation; Translation: “no / by no means”; Notes: Courteous but firm refusal to accept hospitality immediately.
  25. sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Marks change of intention in contrast to Lot’s offer.
  26. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates place where; Translation: “in”; Notes: Describes location of intended stay.
  27. platea — Lemma: platea; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of “in”; Translation: “street”; Notes: Public space where travelers might rest; contrasts private home.
  28. manebimus — Lemma: maneo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, first person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “we will stay”; Notes: Indicates resolve to remain outside; emphasizes angelic independence and divine purpose.

 

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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