Genesis 20:16

Posted on January 20, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 20:16 Saræ autem dixit: Ecce mille argenteos dedi fratri tuo, hoc erit tibi in velamen oculorum ad omnes qui tecum sunt, et quocumque perrexeris: mementoque te deprehensam.

But to Sara he said: “Behold, I have given a thousand pieces of silver to your brother; this will be for you a covering of the eyes to all who are with you, and wherever you shall go; and remember that you have been vindicated.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Saræ to Sarah DAT.SG.F
2 autem but CONJ
3 dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 Ecce behold INTERJ
5 mille a thousand NUM.INDECL
6 argenteos pieces of silver ACC.PL.M
7 dedi I gave / have given 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 fratri to (your) brother DAT.SG.M
9 tuo your DAT.SG.M.POSS.ADJ
10 hoc this NOM.SG.N.DEMONSTR.PRON
11 erit will be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
12 tibi to you DAT.SG.PRON
13 in as / for PREP+ACC
14 velamen covering / veil ACC.SG.N
15 oculorum of the eyes GEN.PL.M
16 ad toward / for PREP+ACC
17 omnes all ACC.PL.M
18 qui who NOM.PL.M.REL.PRON
19 tecum with you PREP+ABL.PRON
20 sunt are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
21 et and CONJ
22 quocumque wherever CONJ
23 perrexeris you shall go 2SG.FUT.PERF.ACT.IND
24 mementoque and remember 2SG.FUT.ACT.IMP + ENCLITIC -que
25 te you ACC.SG.PRON
26 deprehensam found / vindicated ACC.SG.F.PART.PERF.PASS

Syntax

Main Clause: Saræ autem dixit — Introduces Abimelech’s direct speech to Sara, contrasting with his prior address to Abraham.
Statement: Ecce mille argenteos dedi fratri tuo — Ecce draws attention to the act of restitution; dedi (perfect) confirms the completed transaction, with fratri tuo marking the recipient.
Result/Definition Clause: hoc erit tibi in velamen oculorum — Expresses purpose or designation; in + accusative indicates “for” or “as,” defining the function of the silver as a symbolic covering.
Relative Clause: ad omnes qui tecum sunt — Specifies those before whom the vindication applies.
Concessive/Conditional Clause: et quocumque perrexeris — Expands the declaration universally to any place she might go.
Imperative Clause: mementoque te deprehensam — Concludes with a command to remember her vindication or justification.

Morphology

  1. Saræ — Lemma: Sara; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: indirect object of “dixit”; Translation: “to Sara”; Notes: Marks the new recipient of Abimelech’s address.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction/adverb; Form: postpositive; Function: provides mild contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Introduces shift in addressee from Abraham to Sara.
  3. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: main verb of saying; Translation: “said”; Notes: Introduces direct speech in historical narrative.
  4. Ecce — Lemma: ecce; Part of Speech: interjection; Form: indeclinable; Function: deictic marker; Translation: “behold”; Notes: Draws attention to Abimelech’s offering.
  5. mille — Lemma: mille; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: indeclinable plural; Function: quantifier modifying “argenteos”; Translation: “a thousand”; Notes: Indicates substantial value, signaling reparation.
  6. argenteos — Lemma: argenteus; Part of Speech: adjective (used substantively); Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “dedi”; Translation: “pieces of silver”; Notes: Monetary term representing silver currency or weight.
  7. dedi — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, first person singular; Function: main verb of statement; Translation: “I have given”; Notes: Perfect tense marks completed restitution act.
  8. fratri — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of “dedi”; Translation: “to your brother”; Notes: Refers to Abraham, whom Abimelech still calls Sara’s brother.
  9. tuo — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: modifies “fratri”; Translation: “your”; Notes: Emphasizes the connection Abimelech still perceives between Sara and Abraham.
  10. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of “erit”; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the payment of silver as symbolic compensation.
  11. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future indicative active, third person singular; Function: main verb of promise; Translation: “will be”; Notes: Predicts ongoing result of restitution.
  12. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object of “erit”; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Denotes benefit to Sara.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces predicate complement; Translation: “as / for”; Notes: Indicates figurative designation.
  14. velamen — Lemma: velamen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: predicate complement with “in”; Translation: “covering”; Notes: Symbolic of vindication and honor restored.
  15. oculorum — Lemma: oculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: genitive of specification; Translation: “of the eyes”; Notes: Represents social perception—others’ view of her restored purity.
  16. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses reference; Translation: “to / toward”; Notes: Points to those aware of the situation.
  17. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of “ad”; Translation: “all”; Notes: Refers to witnesses among her people.
  18. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: introduces relative clause modifying “omnes”; Translation: “who”; Notes: Specifies those accompanying Sara.
  19. tecum — Lemma: te + cum; Part of Speech: pronoun (with preposition); Form: ablative singular; Function: complements “qui sunt”; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Indicates companions of Sara.
  20. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present indicative active, third person plural; Function: copular verb in relative clause; Translation: “are”; Notes: Establishes state of association.
  21. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins relative and conditional clauses; Translation: “and.”
  22. quocumque — Lemma: quocumque; Part of Speech: relative adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces local clause of generality; Translation: “wherever”; Notes: Expresses universality of her restored honor.
  23. perrexeris — Lemma: pergo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect indicative active, second person singular; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “you shall go”; Notes: Expresses future completion relative to main clause.
  24. mementoque — Lemma: memini; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative active, second person singular + enclitic -que; Function: final command; Translation: “and remember”; Notes: Common ending to formal speeches implying moral reflection.
  25. te — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: subject accusative of infinitive sense in participial construction; Translation: “you”; Notes: Object of the participle “deprehensam.”
  26. deprehensam — Lemma: deprehendo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: accusative singular feminine, perfect passive; Function: predicate complement with “te”; Translation: “found / vindicated”; Notes: Implies recognition of innocence or exoneration rather than guilt.

 

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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