Genesis 24:56

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:56 Nolite, ait, me retinere, quia Dominus direxit viam meam: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum.

“Do not,” he said, “hold me back, because the LORD has directed my way; send me away, that I may go to my master.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nolite do not 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP + NEG.PART
2 ait he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 me me ACC.SG.1P.PRON
4 retinere to hold back INF.PRES.ACT
5 quia because CONJ
6 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
7 direxit has directed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 viam way / path ACC.SG.F
9 meam my ACC.SG.F POSS.ADJ
10 dimittite send away 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
11 me me ACC.SG.1P.PRON
12 ut that / so that CONJ
13 pergam I may go 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
14 ad to / toward PREP+ACC
15 dominum master ACC.SG.M
16 meum my ACC.SG.M POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Main Quotation: Nolite me retinere — negative imperative with nolite + infinitive retinere forming prohibition (“Do not hold me back”). The direct object me expresses the person restrained.
Subordinate Clause: quia Dominus direxit viam meam — causal clause introduced by quia (“because”), with perfect verb direxit and subject Dominus (YHWH) meaning “the LORD has directed my way.” The phrase viam meam conveys providential guidance.
Second Imperative Clause: dimittite me ut pergam ad dominum meum — main command dimittite (“send me away”) with purpose clause ut + subjunctive pergam (“that I may go”). The prepositional phrase ad dominum meum identifies the destination and master (Abraham).
This syntax expresses respectful urgency: the servant politely refuses delay, affirming divine approval and readiness to complete his mission.

Morphology

  1. Nolite — Lemma: nolo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Imperative Second Person Plural; Function: Negative imperative; Translation: “do not”; Notes: Used with infinitive retinere to express prohibition.
  2. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Introduces direct speech; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Historic present equivalent often used in narrative.
  3. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative Singular First Person; Function: Direct object of retinere; Translation: “me”; Notes: Emphasizes speaker as the object of restraint.
  4. retinere — Lemma: retineo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Infinitive; Function: Complementary infinitive with nolite; Translation: “to hold back”; Notes: Expresses action being forbidden.
  5. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces causal clause; Translation: “because”; Notes: Provides divine reason for refusal.
  6. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject of direxit; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, the divine guide.
  7. direxit — Lemma: dirigo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Main verb of causal clause; Translation: “has directed”; Notes: Perfect tense underscores divine accomplishment.
  8. viam — Lemma: via; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of direxit; Translation: “way / path”; Notes: Figurative for life’s journey or divine mission.
  9. meam — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive); Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Modifies viam; Translation: “my”; Notes: Personalizes divine guidance.
  10. dimittite — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Imperative Second Person Plural; Function: Main command; Translation: “send away”; Notes: Polite yet firm request to release the servant.
  11. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative Singular First Person; Function: Direct object of dimittite; Translation: “me”; Notes: Repetition intensifies urgency of appeal.
  12. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces purpose clause; Translation: “that / so that”; Notes: Links command with its intended outcome.
  13. pergam — Lemma: pergo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Subjunctive First Person Singular; Function: Verb of purpose clause; Translation: “I may go”; Notes: Expresses goal of obedience and mission completion.
  14. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Directional; Translation: “to”; Notes: Marks destination of the journey.
  15. dominum — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “master”; Notes: Refers to Abraham, the servant’s lord.
  16. meum — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive); Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Modifies dominum; Translation: “my”; Notes: Reinforces loyal relationship between servant and master.

 

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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