Genesis 24:31

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:31 dixitque ad eum: Ingredere, benedicte Domini: cur foris stas? præparavi domum, et locum camelis.

and he said to him: “Come in, blessed of the LORD; why do you stand outside? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 dixitque and said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + CONJ
2 ad to / toward PREP+ACC
3 eum him ACC.SG.M 3P.PRON
4 Ingredere enter 2SG.PRES.DEP.IMP
5 benedicte blessed VOC.SG.M PTCP.PERF.PASS
6 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
7 cur why INTERROG.ADV
8 foris outside ADV
9 stas you stand 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
10 præparavi I have prepared 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 domum house ACC.SG.F
12 et and CONJ
13 locum place ACC.SG.M
14 camelis for the camels DAT.PL.M

Syntax

Introductory Clause: Dixitque ad eum — dixitque combines the perfect verb dixit with the enclitic conjunction -que (“and”), linking it to the preceding narrative. The prepositional phrase ad eum identifies the indirect object (“to him”), here referring to Abraham’s servant.
Direct Speech 1: Ingredere, benedicte Domini — imperative Ingredere (“enter”) governs direct address benedicte Domini (“blessed of the LORD”); benedicte functions as a vocative participle modifying an implied “you.”
Direct Speech 2: cur foris stas? — interrogative clause using adverb cur (“why”) and present indicative stas (“you stand”); foris is an adverb of place (“outside”), emphasizing invitation and hospitality.
Direct Speech 3: præparavi domum, et locum camelis — perfect verb præparavi expresses completed preparation; objects domum and locum camelis (dative of advantage) specify the accommodations ready for both guest and animals.
The syntax forms a lively invitation sequence blending command, question, and reassurance, characteristic of Near Eastern hospitality scenes.

Morphology

  1. dixitque — Lemma: dico + -que; Part of Speech: Verb + enclitic conjunction; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Narrative verb linking clauses; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: Perfect denotes completed speech act; -que coordinates with previous event in temporal sequence.
  2. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Marks direction or relation; Translation: “to / toward”; Notes: Introduces recipient of speech.
  3. eum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to the visiting servant of Abraham.
  4. Ingredere — Lemma: ingredior; Part of Speech: Verb (Deponent); Form: Present Imperative Second Person Singular; Function: Imperative of invitation; Translation: “enter / come in”; Notes: Deponent form with active sense; expresses warm invitation to guest.
  5. benedicte — Lemma: benedico; Part of Speech: Perfect Passive Participle (used as vocative); Form: Vocative Singular Masculine; Function: Vocative modifier of implied “you”; Translation: “blessed one”; Notes: Hebrew idiom “blessed of the LORD” carried into Latin; reverential address.
  6. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Possessive genitive with benedicte; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH per translation rule; emphasizes divine blessing.
  7. cur — Lemma: cur; Part of Speech: Interrogative adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces direct question; Translation: “why”; Notes: Common interrogative in direct speech, expressing gentle reproach.
  8. foris — Lemma: foris; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adverb of place; Translation: “outside”; Notes: Spatial adverb contrasting interior hospitality with exterior exclusion.
  9. stas — Lemma: sto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative Second Person Singular; Function: Verb of direct question; Translation: “you stand”; Notes: Describes stationary posture; rhetorical question invites action.
  10. præparavi — Lemma: præparo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative First Person Singular; Function: Main verb of final statement; Translation: “I have prepared”; Notes: Perfect expresses completed readiness; signals generous hospitality already in place.
  11. domum — Lemma: domus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of præparavi; Translation: “house”; Notes: The dwelling prepared for lodging; domestic setting central to hospitality motif.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links parallel objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple additive coordination between domum and locum camelis.
  13. locum — Lemma: locus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Second direct object of præparavi; Translation: “place”; Notes: Indicates physical space arranged for the camels’ rest.
  14. camelis — Lemma: camelus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Dative Plural Masculine; Function: Dative of advantage (“for the camels”); Translation: “for the camels”; Notes: Expresses concern for animals accompanying travelers—hospitality extended to beasts as well as men.

 

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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