Genesis 24:25

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 4:25 Et addidit, dicens: Palearum quoque et fœni plurimum est apud nos, et locus spatiosus ad manendum.

And she added, saying: “There is also plenty of straw and hay with us, and a spacious place for lodging.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 addidit added 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 dicens saying NOM.SG.F.PTCP.PRES.ACT
4 Palearum of straw GEN.PL.F
5 quoque also / too ADV
6 et and CONJ
7 fœni of hay GEN.SG.N
8 plurimum very much / plenty NOM.SG.N.SUPERL.ADV
9 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
10 apud with / among PREP+ACC
11 nos us / our household ACC.PL.1P.PRON
12 et and CONJ
13 locus place NOM.SG.M
14 spatiosus spacious / large NOM.SG.M.ADJ
15 ad for / toward PREP+ACC
16 manendum staying / lodging ACC.SG.N.GERUND

Syntax

Main Clause: Et addidit, dicens — perfect tense addidit (“she added”) introduces further speech; dicens is a participle of attendant circumstance, explaining the manner of addition.
Direct Speech 1: Palearum quoque et fœni plurimum est apud nos — a genitive of quantity construction, literally “there is much of straw and hay,” with apud nos indicating possession (“with us / in our house”).
Direct Speech 2: et locus spatiosus ad manendum — coordinated clause omitting est (understood), with locus spatiosus as subject phrase and ad manendum expressing purpose (“for lodging”).

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connective linking to previous speech; Translation: “and”; Notes: Common narrative connector in sequential clauses.
  2. addidit — Lemma: addo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “added”; Notes: Indicates continuation of speech by Rebecca.
  3. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Feminine; Function: Circumstantial participle modifying implied subject; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Expresses the act accompanying the main verb of speech.
  4. Palearum — Lemma: palea; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive Plural Feminine; Function: Partitive genitive depending on plurimum; Translation: “of straw”; Notes: Indicates quantity or measure of the material.
  5. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adds emphasis to inclusion; Translation: “also / too”; Notes: Reinforces abundance of provisions.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates two genitives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links the paired nouns palearum and fœni.
  7. fœni — Lemma: fœnum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Neuter; Function: Partitive genitive with plurimum; Translation: “of hay”; Notes: Paired with palearum to describe animal provisions.
  8. plurimum — Lemma: multus; Part of Speech: Adjective used substantively; Form: Nominative Singular Neuter Superlative; Function: Subject of est; Translation: “a great amount / plenty”; Notes: Treated as a noun meaning “very much.”
  9. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Main verb of existence; Translation: “is”; Notes: Introduces existential expression of abundance.
  10. apud — Lemma: apud; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Indicates possession or association; Translation: “with / among”; Notes: Equivalent to “there is … with us.”
  11. nos — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative Plural; Function: Object of apud; Translation: “us”; Notes: Refers collectively to Rebecca’s household.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates a second clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links additional statement regarding lodging.
  13. locus — Lemma: locus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject of implied est; Translation: “place”; Notes: Main subject of the second existential clause.
  14. spatiosus — Lemma: spatiosus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Predicate adjective modifying locus; Translation: “spacious”; Notes: Conveys generosity and hospitality of the household.
  15. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Expresses purpose; Translation: “for / toward”; Notes: Introduces gerund phrase denoting intended use.
  16. manendum — Lemma: maneo; Part of Speech: Gerund (verbal noun); Form: Accusative Singular Neuter; Function: Object of ad (purpose); Translation: “lodging / staying”; Notes: Classical idiom for expressing purpose: “for staying.”

 

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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