Genesis 24:19

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:19 Cumque ille bibisset, adiecit: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant.

And when he had drunk, she added: “Indeed, I will also draw water for your camels, until they all drink.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ + ENCLITIC
2 ille he NOM.SG.M.DEMON.PRON
3 bibisset had drunk 3SG.PLUPERF.ACT.SUBJ
4 adiecit added / continued 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 Quin indeed / rather ADV
6 et also / even CONJ
7 camelis for camels DAT.PL.M
8 tuis your DAT.PL.M.POSS.ADJ
9 hauriam I will draw 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
10 aquam water ACC.SG.F
11 donec until SUBORD.CONJ
12 cuncti all NOM.PL.M
13 bibant drink 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque ille bibisset — subordinate clause introduced by cumque (“and when”), using the pluperfect subjunctive bibisset to indicate completed action prior to the main event. Subject ille refers to Abraham’s servant.
Main Clause: adiecit — main verb (“she added”), introducing her further response.
Direct Speech: Quin et camelis tuis hauriam aquam, donec cuncti bibant — expresses Rebecca’s generous intent. The adverb quin intensifies (“indeed, rather”), while hauriam is a future indicative promising immediate action. The subjunctive bibant in the donec-clause expresses anticipated result or purpose.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + -que; Part of Speech: Conjunction + enclitic; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces temporal clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: Combines narrative coordination and subordination.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject of bibisset; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Abraham’s servant, already mentioned in prior verses.
  3. bibisset — Lemma: bibo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Pluperfect Active Subjunctive Third Person Singular; Function: Verb in temporal clause; Translation: “had drunk”; Notes: Subjunctive under cum showing completed subordinate action.
  4. adiecit — Lemma: addo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Main verb of the sentence; Translation: “she added”; Notes: Introduces her further statement, emphasizing initiative and eagerness.
  5. Quin — Lemma: quin; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Strengthens assertion; Translation: “indeed / rather”; Notes: Used idiomatically to introduce an emphatic continuation.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connective; Translation: “and / also”; Notes: Joins adverbially to include additional beneficiaries (the camels).
  7. camelis — Lemma: camelus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Dative Plural Masculine; Function: Indirect object of hauriam; Translation: “for the camels”; Notes: Dative of advantage, marking recipients of her action.
  8. tuis — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: Possessive adjective; Form: Dative Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies camelis; Translation: “your”; Notes: Agrees with camelis in case, number, and gender.
  9. hauriam — Lemma: haurio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future Active Indicative First Person Singular; Function: Main verb of her declaration; Translation: “I will draw (water)”; Notes: Expresses resolve and willingness in a polite promise.
  10. aquam — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of hauriam; Translation: “water”; Notes: Concrete noun referring to the water from the well.
  11. donec — Lemma: donec; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces temporal clause of result or duration; Translation: “until”; Notes: Followed by subjunctive expressing purpose or expected outcome.
  12. cuncti — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: Adjective functioning substantively; Form: Nominative Plural Masculine; Function: Subject of bibant; Translation: “all”; Notes: Refers to all the camels collectively.
  13. bibant — Lemma: bibo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Subjunctive Third Person Plural; Function: Verb in donec-clause; Translation: “drink”; Notes: Subjunctive indicates anticipated or desired fulfillment—her intent to water them until they have drunk their fill.

 

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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