Genesis 14:21

Posted on January 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 14:21 Dixit autem rex Sodomorum ad Abram: Da mihi animas, cetera tolle tibi.

And the king of Sodom said to Abram: “Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 autem however / and CONJ.ADV
3 rex king NOM.SG.M
4 Sodomorum of Sodom GEN.PL.F (INDECL. HEBR.)
5 ad to / toward PREP+ACC
6 Abram Abram ACC.SG.M (INDECL. HEBR.)
7 Da give 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
8 mihi to me DAT.SG.1ST.PRON
9 animas souls / persons ACC.PL.F
10 cetera the rest / other things ACC.PL.N
11 tolle take 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
12 tibi for yourself DAT.SG.2ND.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Dixit autem rex Sodomorum ad Abram — perfect active verb with subject rex Sodomorum and indirect object ad Abram; autem marks narrative transition.
Quoted Speech: Da mihi animas, cetera tolle tibi — two imperative clauses joined by juxtaposition, expressing negotiation: the king requests recovery of his people but grants Abram the goods.

Morphology

  1. Dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of narration; Translation: “said”; Notes: Marks direct speech following the encounter between the king and Abram.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction/adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional connector; Translation: “however / and”; Notes: Introduces new speaker or episode.
  3. rex — Lemma: rex; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “king”; Notes: Refers to the ruler of Sodom addressing Abram.
  4. Sodomorum — Lemma: Sodoma; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive plural feminine (indeclinable Hebrew name); Function: Genitive of possession; Translation: “of Sodom”; Notes: Denotes the king’s domain.
  5. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Indicates direction toward person; Translation: “to”; Notes: Common preposition introducing addressee.
  6. Abram — Lemma: Abram; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine (indeclinable Hebrew name); Function: Object of ad; Translation: “Abram”; Notes: The patriarch addressed by the king.
  7. Da — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active imperative, 2nd person singular; Function: Imperative command; Translation: “give”; Notes: Direct request from the king demanding return of captives.
  8. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative singular; Function: Indirect object; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Recipient of the action da.
  9. animas — Lemma: anima; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “persons / souls”; Notes: Refers to recovered captives, a metonymy for human lives.
  10. cetera — Lemma: ceterus; Part of Speech: Adjective (used substantively); Form: Accusative plural neuter; Function: Direct object of tolle; Translation: “the rest / other things”; Notes: Refers to material goods or spoils.
  11. tolle — Lemma: tollo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active imperative, 2nd person singular; Function: Command; Translation: “take”; Notes: Conveys concessionary tone—Abram may keep the spoils.
  12. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative singular; Function: Ethical dative; Translation: “for yourself”; Notes: Emphasizes personal ownership or benefit of the recipient.

 

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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