Genesis 16:10

Posted on January 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

10 Et rursum: Multiplicans, inquit, multiplicabo semen tuum, et non numerabitur præ multitudine.

And again he said: “Multiplying, I will multiply your offspring, and it shall not be numbered because of the multitude.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 rursum again ADV
3 Multiplicans multiplying NOM.SG.M/F PRES.ACT.PTCP
4 inquit he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 multiplicabo I will multiply 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
6 semen seed / offspring ACC.SG.N
7 tuum your ACC.SG.N POSS.ADJ
8 et and CONJ
9 non not ADV
10 numerabitur shall be numbered 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND
11 præ because of PREP+ABL
12 multitudine multitude ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Introductory Clause: Et rursum — adverbial phrase introducing repetition; indicates continuation of divine speech.
Direct Speech: Multiplicans, inquit, multiplicabo semen tuum — the participle Multiplicans functions adverbially, emphasizing the certainty of the action; multiplicabo (future indicative) serves as the main verb of divine promise; semen tuum is the object, expressing covenant blessing of innumerable descendants.
Consequence Clause: et non numerabitur præ multitudine — passive future form numerabitur indicates impossibility of enumeration; præ multitudine expresses causal reason (“because of the multitude”).

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links clause with prior statement; Translation: “and”; Notes: Signals continuation in divine discourse.
  2. rursum — Lemma: rursum; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Denotes repetition; Translation: “again”; Notes: Indicates that the angel reiterates YHWH’s covenant promise.
  3. Multiplicans — Lemma: multiplico; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: Nominative singular masculine/feminine, present active participle; Function: Adverbial participle; Translation: “multiplying”; Notes: Hebraic idiom reflecting intensive repetition (“surely multiplying I will multiply”).
  4. inquit — Lemma: inquam; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Parenthetical speech tag; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Signals direct quotation, typical of narrative speech insertion.
  5. multiplicabo — Lemma: multiplico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future active indicative, 1st person singular; Function: Main verb of divine declaration; Translation: “I will multiply”; Notes: Expresses covenant assurance and divine future action.
  6. semen — Lemma: semen; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Direct object of multiplicabo; Translation: “seed / offspring”; Notes: Represents lineage or posterity; central to covenant language.
  7. tuum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Possessive modifier; Translation: “your”; Notes: Refers specifically to Hagar’s seed, linking Ishmael to Abrahamic blessing.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects consequence clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins two prophetic outcomes.
  9. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Negates verb; Translation: “not”; Notes: Reinforces impossibility of counting offspring.
  10. numerabitur — Lemma: numero; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future passive indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of result clause; Translation: “shall be numbered”; Notes: Expresses prophetic impossibility of enumeration—emphasizing abundance.
  11. præ — Lemma: præ; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Indicates cause or reason; Translation: “because of”; Notes: Used here in causal sense rather than spatial.
  12. multitudine — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine; Function: Object of præ; Translation: “multitude”; Notes: Expresses vastness of descendants, forming a parallel to God’s promise to Abram in Genesis 15:5.

 

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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