Genesis 21:32

Posted on January 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 21:32 Et inierunt fœdus pro puteo iuramenti.

And they entered into a covenant concerning the well of the oath.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 inierunt they entered into 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
3 fœdus covenant ACC.SG.N
4 pro concerning / for PREP+ABL
5 puteo well ABL.SG.M
6 iuramenti of the oath GEN.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause: Et inierunt fœdus pro puteo iuramenti — The conjunction et continues the narrative. The perfect verb inierunt (from *ineo*) governs the direct object fœdus (“covenant”). The prepositional phrase pro puteo iuramenti specifies the cause or concern of the covenant: “regarding the well of the oath.” The genitive iuramenti depends on puteo to form a possessive or descriptive phrase (“the well of the oath”).

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects sequential actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the narrative chain, linking this covenant to the previous naming of Beersheba.
  2. inierunt — Lemma: ineo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “they entered into”; Notes: Compound of in + eo, idiomatic with “fœdus” meaning “to make a covenant.” Perfect tense denotes completed formal agreement.
  3. fœdus — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of “inierunt”; Translation: “covenant”; Notes: Legal-religious term for solemn pact or treaty, often sealed by oath and sacrifice.
  4. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses purpose, reference, or concern; Translation: “for / concerning”; Notes: Indicates the cause or object of the covenant, here referring to the disputed well.
  5. puteo — Lemma: puteus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition “pro”; Translation: “well”; Notes: Refers to the same well at Beersheba, central to the covenantal dispute and naming.
  6. iuramenti — Lemma: iuramentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive of specification modifying “puteo”; Translation: “of the oath”; Notes: Explains the epithet of the well—“the well of the oath,” recalling the mutual swearing of Abraham and Abimelech.

 

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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