Genesis 24:11

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:11 Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum iuxta puteum aquæ vespere, tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam, dixit:

And when he had made the camels kneel down outside the town, near the well of water at evening time, the time when women are accustomed to go out to draw water, he said:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ + CIRCUMSTANTIAL
2 camelos camels ACC.PL.M
3 fecisset he had made 3SG.PLUPERF.ACT.SUBJ
4 accumbere to kneel down / lie down PRES.ACT.INF
5 extra outside PREP+ACC
6 oppidum town ACC.SG.N
7 iuxta near / beside PREP+ACC
8 puteum well ACC.SG.M
9 aquæ of water GEN.SG.F
10 vespere at evening ABL.SG.N
11 tempore time ABL.SG.N
12 quo when / in which ABL.SG.N.REL.PRON
13 solent they are accustomed 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
14 mulieres women NOM.PL.F
15 egredi to go out PRES.DEP.INF
16 ad to / for the purpose of PREP+ACC
17 hauriendam for drawing GERUNDIVE.ACC.SG.F
18 aquam water ACC.SG.F
19 dixit he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque camelos fecisset accumbere extra oppidum iuxta puteum aquæ vespere — the conjunction cumque introduces a circumstantial temporal clause with the pluperfect subjunctive fecisset. The object camelos depends on fecisset, and accumbere serves as complementary infinitive. The prepositional phrases extra oppidum and iuxta puteum aquæ describe location, while vespere indicates time.
Relative Clause: tempore quo solent mulieres egredi ad hauriendam aquam — modifies vespere; literally, “at the time when women are accustomed to go out to draw water.” The infinitive egredi (deponent) is governed by solent, and the gerundive phrase ad hauriendam aquam expresses purpose.
Main Clause: dixit — main narrative verb, marking the servant’s prayer or speech that follows.
The syntax illustrates sequential temporal subordination: the servant’s action (kneeling camels) sets the stage for his subsequent supplication.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + que; Part of Speech: Conjunction + enclitic; Form: Temporal conjunction with enclitic -que; Function: Introduces circumstantial clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: Combines sequence and time.
  2. camelos — Lemma: camelus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Direct object of fecisset; Translation: “camels”; Notes: Livestock accompanying the journey.
  3. fecisset — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Pluperfect Active Subjunctive 3rd Person Singular; Function: Verb of temporal clause; Translation: “he had made”; Notes: Subjunctive under cum expressing circumstantial past action.
  4. accumbere — Lemma: accumbo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Infinitive; Function: Complementary infinitive with fecisset; Translation: “to kneel down”; Notes: Often used of animals resting.
  5. extra — Lemma: extra; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Expresses location beyond; Translation: “outside”; Notes: Marks area beyond town limits.
  6. oppidum — Lemma: oppidum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Neuter; Function: Object of extra; Translation: “town”; Notes: Common Latin term for small city.
  7. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Expresses proximity; Translation: “near”; Notes: Often paired with geographical landmarks.
  8. puteum — Lemma: puteus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Object of iuxta; Translation: “well”; Notes: Scene of encounter and symbolic provision.
  9. aquæ — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Feminine; Function: Genitive of material or content; Translation: “of water”; Notes: Specifies the well’s nature.
  10. vespere — Lemma: vesper; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Neuter; Function: Ablative of time; Translation: “at evening”; Notes: Marks time of women’s activity at the well.
  11. tempore — Lemma: tempus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Neuter; Function: Ablative of time; Translation: “time”; Notes: Head noun of relative clause.
  12. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative Pronoun; Form: Ablative Singular Neuter; Function: Introduces relative clause modifying tempore; Translation: “when”; Notes: Temporal use of ablative relative.
  13. solent — Lemma: soleo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative 3rd Person Plural; Function: Main verb of relative clause; Translation: “they are accustomed”; Notes: Denotes habitual action.
  14. mulieres — Lemma: mulier; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Plural Feminine; Function: Subject of solent; Translation: “women”; Notes: Describes the townswomen drawing water.
  15. egredi — Lemma: egredior; Part of Speech: Deponent Verb; Form: Present Infinitive; Function: Complementary infinitive with solent; Translation: “to go out”; Notes: Deponent form, active in meaning.
  16. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Expresses purpose; Translation: “to / for the purpose of”; Notes: Introduces goal of action.
  17. hauriendam — Lemma: haurio; Part of Speech: Verb (Gerundive); Form: Gerundive Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Purpose construction with ad; Translation: “for drawing”; Notes: Gerundive of purpose modifying aquam.
  18. aquam — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Object of hauriendam; Translation: “water”; Notes: Completes the purpose clause.
  19. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative 3rd Person Singular; Function: Main narrative verb; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Introduces speech, marking a new action in sequence.

 

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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