Genesis 25:21

Posted on January 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 25:21 Deprecatusque est Isaac Dominum pro uxore sua, eo quod esset sterilis: qui exaudivit eum, et dedit conceptum Rebeccæ.

And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and He heard him and gave conception to Rebecca.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Deprecatusque and entreated PART.PERF.DEP.NOM.SG.M + CONJ
2 est was / has 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Isaac Isaac PROPN.NOM.SG.M
4 Dominum LORD NOUN.ACC.SG.M
5 pro for PREP+ABL
6 uxore wife NOUN.ABL.SG.F
7 sua his PRON.POSS.ABL.SG.F
8 eo because ADV
9 quod that CONJ
10 esset was 3SG.IMPERF.ACT.SUBJ
11 sterilis barren ADJ.NOM.SG.F
12 qui who REL.PRON.NOM.SG.M
13 exaudivit heard 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
14 eum him PRON.ACC.SG.M
15 et and CONJ
16 dedit gave 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
17 conceptum conception NOUN.ACC.SG.M
18 Rebeccæ to Rebecca PROPN.DAT.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Deprecatusque est Isaac Dominum pro uxore sua — Isaac (subject) + Deprecatus est (deponent verb) + Dominum (object) expresses Isaac’s prayer to the LORD on behalf of his barren wife. The prepositional phrase pro uxore sua defines the purpose of his prayer.
Subordinate Clause: eo quod esset sterilis — causal clause meaning “because she was barren,” explaining why Isaac prayed.
Main Clause 2: qui exaudivit eum et dedit conceptum Rebeccæ — qui (relative pronoun referring to the LORD) introduces the result: “who heard him and granted conception to Rebecca.” Two verbs (exaudivit and dedit) coordinate under the same subject.

Morphology

  1. Deprecatusque — Lemma: deprecor; Part of Speech: deponent participle + conjunction; Form: perfect participle nominative singular masculine + enclitic -que; Function: main verb (deponent); Translation: “and entreated”; Notes: Deponent form gives active meaning; introduces the prayer of Isaac.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: auxiliary with deponent participle; Translation: “was / has”; Notes: Completes perfect deponent form “deprecatus est.”
  3. Isaac — Lemma: Isaac; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Isaac”; Notes: The patriarch interceding for his wife.
  4. Dominum — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, the divine addressee of prayer.
  5. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates benefactive sense; Translation: “for”; Notes: Shows prayer offered on behalf of someone.
  6. uxore — Lemma: uxor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of “pro”; Translation: “wife”; Notes: The beneficiary of Isaac’s prayer.
  7. sua — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies “uxore”; Translation: “his”; Notes: Reflexive, referring back to Isaac.
  8. eo — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: adverb (idiomatic); Form: fixed expression “eo quod”; Function: causal conjunction; Translation: “because”; Notes: Introduces reason clause with “quod.”
  9. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links causal subordinate clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Joins to “eo” for idiomatic “because.”
  10. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive 3rd person singular; Function: verb of causal clause; Translation: “was”; Notes: Subjunctive used with “quod” in indirect statement.
  11. sterilis — Lemma: sterilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate complement; Translation: “barren”; Notes: Describes Rebecca’s condition.
  12. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “exaudivit” and “dedit”; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to the LORD as the one who responded.
  13. exaudivit — Lemma: exaudio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “heard”; Notes: Implies favorable hearing of prayer.
  14. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of “exaudivit”; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Isaac.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins “exaudivit” and “dedit”; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links the two divine actions.
  16. dedit — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “gave”; Notes: Expresses divine granting of fertility.
  17. conceptum — Lemma: conceptus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of “dedit”; Translation: “conception”; Notes: Denotes the result of divine action.
  18. Rebeccæ — Lemma: Rebecca; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to Rebecca”; Notes: Recipient of divine favor and conception.

 

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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