Genesis 21:27

Posted on January 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

27 Tulit itaque Abraham oves et boves, et dedit Abimelech: percusseruntque ambo fœdus.

Therefore Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Tulit took 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 itaque therefore CONJ
3 Abraham Abraham NOM.SG.M.PROP.NOUN
4 oves sheep ACC.PL.F
5 et and CONJ
6 boves oxen ACC.PL.M
7 et and CONJ
8 dedit gave 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 Abimelech to Abimelech DAT.SG.M.PROP.NOUN
10 percusseruntque and they made/struck 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND + -QUE
11 ambo both NOM.PL.M
12 fœdus covenant ACC.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Tulit itaque Abraham oves et boves — Subject Abraham + perfect verb tulit with coordinated direct objects oves and boves.
Main Clause 2: et dedit Abimelech — Coordinated perfect verb dedit with indirect object Abimelech.
Main Clause 3: percusseruntque ambo fœdus — Coordinated perfect verb with enclitic -que; subject ambo; direct object fœdus. Idiom “fœdus percutere” = conclude a treaty.

Morphology

  1. Tulit — Lemma: fero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: main verb (action of taking); Translation: “took”; Notes: Perfective aspect presents a completed, initiating act that begins the covenant exchange ritual.
  2. itaque — Lemma: itaque; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: inferential connector; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Signals consequence from the preceding dialogue and dispute resolution.
  3. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “tulit/dedit”; Translation: “Abraham”; Notes: Principal covenant actor who initiates gift exchange.
  4. oves — Lemma: ovis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of “tulit”; Translation: “sheep”; Notes: Livestock commonly used in formal gifts and sacrificial symbolism.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins coordinated objects/clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple coordination without adversative nuance.
  6. boves — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: second direct object of “tulit”; Translation: “oxen”; Notes: High-value animals, underscoring seriousness of the pact.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links sequential actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the narrative chain.
  8. dedit — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: main verb (transfer to recipient); Translation: “gave”; Notes: Marks the formal transfer of property as covenant token.
  9. Abimelech — Lemma: Abimelech; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object (recipient); Translation: “to Abimelech”; Notes: Identifies the partner receiving the gift as part of treaty ratification.
  10. percusseruntque — Lemma: percutio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person plural + enclitic -que; Function: main verb of concluding clause; Translation: “and they struck/made”; Notes: Set idiom “fœdus percutere” for entering a covenant; enclitic links this act to the prior gift exchange.
  11. ambo — Lemma: ambo; Part of Speech: adjective/substantive; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of “percusserunt”; Translation: “both”; Notes: Refers specifically to Abraham and Abimelech acting jointly.
  12. fœdus — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of “percusserunt”; Translation: “covenant”; Notes: Legal-religious term denoting a solemn pact, often sealed with oaths and symbolic acts.

 

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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