Genesis 24:33

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:33 Et appositus est in conspectu eius panis. Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos. Respondit ei: Loquere.

And bread was set before him. And he said: “I will not eat until I have spoken my words.” He replied to him: “Speak.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 appositus set / placed NOM.SG.M PTCP.PERF.PASS
3 est was 3SG.PERF.IND.PASS (AUX)
4 in before / in front of PREP+ABL
5 conspectu sight / presence ABL.SG.M
6 eius his GEN.SG.M 3P.PRON
7 panis bread NOM.SG.M
8 Qui who NOM.SG.M REL.PRON
9 ait said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 Non not ADV
11 comedam I will eat 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
12 donec until CONJ
13 loquar I have spoken 1SG.PRES.DEP.SUBJ
14 sermones words ACC.PL.M
15 meos my ACC.PL.M POSS.ADJ
16 Respondit he replied 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
17 ei to him DAT.SG.M 3P.PRON
18 Loquere speak 2SG.PRES.DEP.IMP

Syntax

First Clause: Et appositus est in conspectu eius panis — a passive periphrastic construction meaning “bread was set before him.” The subject panis appears at the end, while in conspectu eius expresses the spatial relation “in his presence.” The verb phrase appositus est combines the perfect participle with auxiliary sum, a common idiom in Vulgate narrative.
Second Clause: Qui ait: Non comedam, donec loquar sermones meos — Qui introduces a relative clause referring to the guest (Abraham’s servant). The negated future non comedam conveys determination; donec loquar marks the temporal limit with subjunctive loquar expressing purpose or anticipation.
Third Clause: Respondit ei: Loquere — simple direct discourse with perfect verb respondit and dative indirect object ei. The imperative Loquere (deponent form) is a courteous invitation to speak.
Overall syntax presents hospitality customs punctuated by formal dialogue and respectful restraint before speaking of serious matters.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects clause to prior verse; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces continuation of narrative sequence.
  2. appositus — Lemma: appono; Part of Speech: Verb (Perfect Passive Participle); Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Predicate adjective with est; Translation: “set / placed”; Notes: Indicates completion of action; describes the passive state of bread being placed.
  3. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb (Auxiliary); Form: Perfect Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Auxiliary to appositus; Translation: “was”; Notes: Creates periphrastic passive with participle.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Ablative; Function: Expresses spatial relation; Translation: “in / before”; Notes: Marks location of the object relative to the recipient.
  5. conspectu — Lemma: conspectus; Part of Speech: Noun (4th declension); Form: Ablative Singular Masculine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “presence / sight”; Notes: Concrete expression of “in one’s view.”
  6. eius — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying conspectu; Translation: “his”; Notes: Refers to the guest; shows polite deference.
  7. panis — Lemma: panis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject of appositus est; Translation: “bread”; Notes: The offering of bread is a standard gesture of welcome.
  8. Qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject of ait; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to Abraham’s servant, linking relative clause to prior sentence.
  9. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Verb of speaking; Translation: “said”; Notes: Common formula for introducing speech; timeless perfect in narrative.
  10. Non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Negation of verb; Translation: “not”; Notes: Denies action in polite refusal form.
  11. comedam — Lemma: comedo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future Active Indicative First Person Singular; Function: Main verb of direct speech; Translation: “I will eat”; Notes: Future tense expressing determination or vow.
  12. donec — Lemma: donec; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces temporal clause; Translation: “until”; Notes: Requires subjunctive loquar for anticipated future event.
  13. loquar — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: Verb (Deponent); Form: Present Subjunctive First Person Singular; Function: Verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “I have spoken / speak”; Notes: Subjunctive by rule after donec when referring to pending action.
  14. sermones — Lemma: sermo; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Direct object of loquar; Translation: “words / speech”; Notes: Refers to his mission statement from Abraham.
  15. meos — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Possessive); Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies sermones; Translation: “my”; Notes: Personal pronoun stresses he speaks under oath or duty.
  16. Respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Introduces response; Translation: “he replied”; Notes: Formal reply introducing courteous assent.
  17. ei — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative Singular Masculine; Function: Indirect object of respondit; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Marks the addressee of the reply.
  18. Loquere — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: Verb (Deponent); Form: Present Imperative Second Person Singular; Function: Imperative of invitation; Translation: “Speak”; Notes: Polite imperative inviting narration, typical of formal dialogue in the Vulgate.

 

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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