Genesis 27:8

Posted on January 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 27:8 Nunc ergo fili mi, acquiesce consiliis meis:

Now therefore, my son, obey my counsel:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nunc now ADV
2 ergo therefore ADV
3 fili son VOC.SG.M
4 mi my VOC.SG.M.POSS.ADJ
5 acquiesce obey / yield 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
6 consiliis counsels / advice DAT.PL.N
7 meis my DAT.PL.N.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Main Imperative: acquiesce consiliis meis — “obey my counsel.” The imperative acquiesce is the core of the command. The dative consiliis meis expresses the object toward which obedience or compliance is directed.
Introductory Phrase: Nunc ergo fili mi — “Now therefore, my son.” A warm vocative address that introduces the imperative with emotional and logical force. Nunc marks temporal immediacy, while ergo provides logical transition from Rebecca’s hearing to her decisive plan.

Morphology

  1. Nunc — Lemma: nunc; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: temporal adverb; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks the immediate moment for action, signaling urgency in Rebecca’s instruction.
  2. ergo — Lemma: ergo; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: logical connective; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Introduces consequence following Rebecca’s realization of Isaac’s plan.
  3. fili — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: direct address; Translation: “son”; Notes: Vocative form of endearment used by Rebecca when addressing Jacob.
  4. mi — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: modifies “fili”; Translation: “my”; Notes: The vocative “mi” expresses affection and intimacy, common in familial speech.
  5. acquiesce — Lemma: acquiesco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present imperative active 2nd person singular; Function: command; Translation: “obey / yield”; Notes: Urges Jacob to submit willingly to his mother’s plan.
  6. consiliis — Lemma: consilium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural neuter; Function: indirect object; Translation: “counsels / advice”; Notes: Denotes practical instruction or plan requiring compliance.
  7. meis — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: dative plural neuter; Function: modifies “consiliis”; Translation: “my”; Notes: Specifies possession, emphasizing Rebecca’s personal directive to Jacob.

 

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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