Genesis 18:4

Posted on January 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 18:4 sed afferam pauxillum aquæ, et lavate pedes vestros, et requiescite sub arbore.

But let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sed but CONJ
2 afferam I will bring 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
3 pauxillum a little ACC.SG.N
4 aquæ of water GEN.SG.F
5 et and CONJ
6 lavate wash 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
7 pedes feet ACC.PL.M
8 vestros your ACC.PL.M.POSS.ADJ
9 et and CONJ
10 requiescite rest 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
11 sub under PREP+ABL
12 arbore tree ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: sed afferam pauxillum aquæ — sed introduces a mild contrast or continuation; afferam is the future indicative (“I will bring”); pauxillum aquæ forms a partitive expression, “a little of water,” indicating humble hospitality.
Imperative Sequence: et lavate pedes vestros, et requiescite sub arbore — two coordinated imperatives, expressing polite instructions to the guests; lavate pedes vestros (“wash your feet”) denotes refreshment after travel; requiescite sub arbore (“rest under the tree”) adds comfort in the shade, completing the hospitality triad.

Morphology

  1. sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: introduces contrast or continuation; Translation: “but”; Notes: Transitions Abraham’s request into a hospitable proposal.
  2. afferam — Lemma: affero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, first person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I will bring”; Notes: Expresses Abraham’s eagerness to provide refreshment personally.
  3. pauxillum — Lemma: pauxillum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of “afferam”; Translation: “a little”; Notes: Diminutive form emphasizing humility in Abraham’s offer.
  4. aquæ — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: partitive genitive with “pauxillum”; Translation: “of water”; Notes: Typical Latin idiom for expressing “a little water.”
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects sequential actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces instructions following the offering.
  6. lavate — Lemma: lavo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative, second person plural; Function: command; Translation: “wash”; Notes: Courteous imperative directed toward guests for refreshment.
  7. pedes — Lemma: pes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “lavate”; Translation: “feet”; Notes: Reflects ancient Near Eastern custom of foot washing for travelers.
  8. vestros — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies “pedes”; Translation: “your”; Notes: Agrees with the plural “pedes,” indicating respect toward multiple visitors.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects imperative clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Smoothly joins the sequence of hospitality actions.
  10. requiescite — Lemma: quiesco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative, second person plural; Function: command; Translation: “rest”; Notes: Invites the guests to repose, showing Abraham’s warmth and reverence.
  11. sub — Lemma: sub; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: “under”; Notes: Marks the place of rest provided by shade.
  12. arbore — Lemma: arbor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of “sub”; Translation: “tree”; Notes: Refers to the terebinth of Mamre, the sacred tree near Abraham’s dwelling.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Genesis. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.