Genesis 24:49

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:49 Quamobrem si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo, indicate mihi: sin autem aliud placet, et hoc dicite mihi, ut vadam ad dextram, sive ad sinistram.

Therefore, if you deal in mercy and truth with my master, tell me; but if it pleases you otherwise, tell me also, so that I may go to the right or to the left.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quamobrem therefore / for which reason ADV
2 si if CONJ
3 facitis you do / deal 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
4 misericordiam mercy ACC.SG.F
5 et and CONJ
6 veritatem truth ACC.SG.F
7 cum with PREP+ABL
8 domino with the master ABL.SG.M
9 meo my ABL.SG.M POSS.ADJ
10 indicate tell / declare 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
11 mihi to me DAT.SG.1P.PRON
12 sin but if CONJ
13 autem however ADV
14 aliud something else / otherwise ACC.SG.N INDEF.PRON
15 placet it pleases 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
16 et and CONJ
17 hoc this ACC.SG.N DEM.PRON
18 dicite say / tell 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
19 mihi to me DAT.SG.1P.PRON
20 ut so that CONJ
21 vadam I may go 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
22 ad toward / to PREP+ACC
23 dexteram the right (side) ACC.SG.F
24 sive or CONJ
25 ad toward / to PREP+ACC
26 sinistram the left (side) ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main Conditional: Si facitis misericordiam et veritatem cum domino meo — the protasis expresses a condition (“if you deal in mercy and truth”), using the present indicative facitis to convey current intent or behavior. The accusatives misericordiam and veritatem form a hendiadys expressing covenant loyalty, and the prepositional phrase cum domino meo identifies the relational object of the kindness.
Apodosis: indicate mihi — imperative command requesting an answer or confirmation (“tell me”).
Alternative Condition: sin autem aliud placet — sin autem (“but if however”) introduces the contrasting clause; aliud placet (“something else pleases”) is an impersonal phrase meaning “if you prefer otherwise.”
Coordinated Command: et hoc dicite mihi — repetition of dicite mihi stresses transparency (“tell me this also”).
Purpose Clause: ut vadam ad dextram sive ad sinistram — the subjunctive vadam expresses intended consequence (“so that I may go”), while ad dextram sive ad sinistram is a Semitic idiom signifying “to any direction,” i.e., seeking guidance.
The syntax encapsulates the servant’s diplomatic courtesy and submission to divine and human will.

Morphology

  1. Quamobrem — Lemma: quamobrem; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional connector; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Used to link reasoning to request.
  2. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces protasis; Translation: “if”; Notes: Conditional particle marking hypothetical relation.
  3. facitis — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative Second Person Plural; Function: Verb of the protasis; Translation: “you do / act / deal”; Notes: Conveys polite appeal rather than command.
  4. misericordiam — Lemma: misericordia; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of facitis; Translation: “mercy”; Notes: Paired with veritatem as covenant virtues.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects coordinate nouns; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins moral qualities.
  6. veritatem — Lemma: veritas; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of facitis; Translation: “truth”; Notes: Represents faithfulness or integrity.
  7. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Ablative; Function: Denotes association; Translation: “with”; Notes: Introduces companion relationship.
  8. domino — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Masculine; Function: Object of cum; Translation: “with (the) master”; Notes: Refers to Abraham.
  9. meo — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive); Form: Ablative Singular Masculine; Function: Modifies domino; Translation: “my”; Notes: Marks respectful possession.
  10. indicate — Lemma: indico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Imperative Second Person Plural; Function: Main command; Translation: “tell”; Notes: Request for clear communication.
  11. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative Singular; Function: Indirect object; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Personal receiver of the response.
  12. sin — Lemma: sin; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces alternative condition; Translation: “but if”; Notes: Variant of si used after a previous conditional.
  13. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Adverb / Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adds emphasis or contrast; Translation: “however”; Notes: Adds nuance to the alternative.
  14. aliud — Lemma: alius; Part of Speech: Pronoun (Indefinite); Form: Accusative Singular Neuter; Function: Subject accusative of placet; Translation: “otherwise / something else”; Notes: Expresses alternative intention.
  15. placet — Lemma: placeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Impersonal verb; Translation: “it pleases”; Notes: Common formula of preference.
  16. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces second command.
  17. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: Pronoun (Demonstrative); Form: Accusative Singular Neuter; Function: Direct object of dicite; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the alternative situation.
  18. dicite — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Imperative Second Person Plural; Function: Imperative verb; Translation: “say / tell”; Notes: Parallel with indicate.
  19. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative Singular; Function: Indirect object; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Emphasizes the request for direction.
  20. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Subordinating; Function: Introduces purpose clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: Expresses goal of the prior command.
  21. vadam — Lemma: vado; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Subjunctive First Person Singular; Function: Verb of purpose clause; Translation: “I may go”; Notes: Subjunctive expresses intended movement.
  22. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Indicates direction; Translation: “toward”; Notes: Repeated before both sides for balance.
  23. dexteram — Lemma: dextera; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “right (side)”; Notes: Symbolic of favorable direction.
  24. sive — Lemma: sive; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects alternatives; Translation: “or”; Notes: Soft contrast introducing the second option.
  25. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Directional; Translation: “toward”; Notes: Parallel structure with ad dexteram.
  26. sinistram — Lemma: sinistra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “left (side)”; Notes: Completes the directional balance; idiom meaning “to take any course.”

 

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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