Genesis 20:14

Posted on January 20, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 20:14 Tulit igitur Abimelech oves et boves, et servos et ancillas, et dedit Abraham: reddiditque illi Saram uxorem suam,

Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female servants, and gave them to Abraham; and he restored to him Sara his wife,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Tulit took 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 igitur therefore / then CONJ
3 Abimelech Abimelech NOM.SG.M
4 oves sheep ACC.PL.F
5 et and CONJ
6 boves oxen ACC.PL.M
7 et and CONJ
8 servos male servants ACC.PL.M
9 et and CONJ
10 ancillas female servants ACC.PL.F
11 et and CONJ
12 dedit gave 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
13 Abraham Abraham DAT.SG.M
14 reddiditque and he restored 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC -que
15 illi to him DAT.SG.M.PRON
16 Saram Sarah ACC.SG.F
17 uxorem wife ACC.SG.F
18 suam his ACC.SG.F.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Tulit igitur Abimelech oves et boves, et servos et ancillas — The verb Tulit governs four coordinated direct objects linked by et; igitur connects this action logically to the previous divine encounter.
Main Clause 2: et dedit Abraham — The verb dedit introduces the indirect object Abraham in the dative, expressing the act of restitution.
Secondary Clause: reddiditque illi Saram uxorem suam — Compound verb with enclitic -que continues the narrative: Abimelech restores Sara (accusative) to Abraham (dative illi), marking completion of the reconciliation.

Morphology

  1. Tulit — Lemma: fero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “took”; Notes: Irregular verb meaning “to bear, bring, take,” indicating Abimelech’s act of presentation or collection.
  2. igitur — Lemma: igitur; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: logical connector; Translation: “then / therefore”; Notes: Transitional particle linking this verse with the divine dialogue preceding it.
  3. Abimelech — Lemma: Abimelech; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of both tulit and dedit; Translation: “Abimelech”; Notes: Name of the Philistine king of Gerar.
  4. oves — Lemma: ovis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of “tulit”; Translation: “sheep”; Notes: Symbolic of livestock wealth and restitution offering.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects objects in a list; Translation: “and.”
  6. boves — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: coordinated object of “tulit”; Translation: “oxen”; Notes: Commonly paired with sheep as indicators of pastoral wealth.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: continues enumeration; Translation: “and.”
  8. servos — Lemma: servus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “tulit”; Translation: “male servants”; Notes: Indicates transfer of household laborers as restitution.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects final noun; Translation: “and.”
  10. ancillas — Lemma: ancilla; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of “tulit”; Translation: “female servants”; Notes: Completes the list of living possessions.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects sequential clause; Translation: “and.”
  12. dedit — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “gave”; Notes: Perfect tense signifies completed act of restitution.
  13. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of “dedit”; Translation: “to Abraham”; Notes: Recipient of gifts and restitution.
  14. reddiditque — Lemma: reddo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person singular + enclitic -que; Function: conjoins secondary verb; Translation: “and he restored”; Notes: -que links with dedit as part of same narrative unit.
  15. illi — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of “reddidit”; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers back to Abraham.
  16. Saram — Lemma: Sara; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of “reddidit”; Translation: “Sara”; Notes: The wife of Abraham, restored unharmed.
  17. uxorem — Lemma: uxor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: appositive complement; Translation: “wife”; Notes: Appositional noun identifying Sara’s relationship.
  18. suam — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies “uxorem”; Translation: “his”; Notes: Reflexive adjective referring to Abraham; stresses rightful marital bond restored.

 

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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