Genesis 28:3

Posted on January 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 28:3 Deus autem omnipotens benedicat tibi, et crescere te faciat, atque multiplicet: ut sis in turbas populorum.

And may God Almighty bless you, and make you grow and multiply, so that you may become a multitude of peoples.

# Latin Gloss GRAMMAR TAG
1 Deus God NOM.SG.M
2 autem but / moreover CONJ.ADV
3 omnipotens almighty NOM.SG.M.ADJ
4 benedicat may bless 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
5 tibi to you DAT.SG.2P.PRON
6 et and CONJ
7 crescere to grow PRES.ACT.INF
8 te you ACC.SG.2P.PRON
9 faciat may make / cause 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
10 atque and also CONJ
11 multiplicet may multiply 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
12 ut so that SUB.CONJ
13 sis you may be 2SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
14 in in / into PREP+ACC
15 turbas multitudes ACC.PL.F
16 populorum of peoples / nations GEN.PL.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Deus autem omnipotens benedicat tibi — A benedictive subjunctive expressing a wish or prayer: “And may God Almighty bless you.” The adjective omnipotens serves as an epithet of Deus.
Coordinate Clauses: et crescere te faciat, atque multiplicet — Two subjunctive clauses joined by et atque, expressing desired results of divine blessing: growth and multiplication.
Final Clause: ut sis in turbas populorum — Introduced by ut with subjunctive sis, expressing purpose or result, “so that you may become a multitude of peoples.” The prepositional phrase in turbas populorum indicates incorporation into or transformation into many nations.

Morphology

  1. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of benedicat; Translation: “God”; Notes: Subject of the blessing; the source of divine favor in patriarchal formulae.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction/adverb; Form: invariant; Function: connective particle; Translation: “but / moreover”; Notes: Used here as transitional, adding solemn emphasis to the blessing rather than contrast.
  3. omnipotens — Lemma: omnipotens; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: epithet modifying Deus; Translation: “almighty”; Notes: Divine title corresponding to Hebrew El Shaddai, emphasizing complete creative power.
  4. benedicat — Lemma: benedico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 3rd person singular; Function: main verb of benediction; Translation: “may bless”; Notes: Subjunctive used optatively, expressing wish rather than command.
  5. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular second person; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indicates Jacob as the beneficiary of divine action.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: connects subjunctive clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Sequentially links divine actions of blessing and multiplication.
  7. crescere — Lemma: cresco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: complementary infinitive with faciat; Translation: “to grow”; Notes: Expresses divine agency — God as the cause of Jacob’s expansion.
  8. te — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular second person; Function: object of faciat; Translation: “you”; Notes: Marks Jacob as the direct recipient of divine action.
  9. faciat — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 3rd person singular; Function: verb of result; Translation: “may make / cause”; Notes: Subjunctive continues optative mood; implies divine creative enablement.
  10. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: intensifying coordinator; Translation: “and also”; Notes: Strengthens the cumulative tone of blessing — growth *and* multiplication.
  11. multiplicet — Lemma: multiplico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 3rd person singular; Function: main verb of coordinated clause; Translation: “may multiply”; Notes: Reflects covenantal promise of numerous descendants (cf. Abrahamic motif).
  12. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: introduces final/result clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: Links divine blessing to its intended outcome — the formation of nations.
  13. sis — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 2nd person singular; Function: verb of final clause; Translation: “you may be”; Notes: Subjunctive expresses potential result; continuation of benedictive tone.
  14. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses transformation; Translation: “into / in”; Notes: Denotes becoming part of or transformed into a state — “into a multitude.”
  15. turbas — Lemma: turba; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of “in” (motion metaphorically); Translation: “multitudes”; Notes: Represents numerous groups or clans — a metaphor for tribes or nations.
  16. populorum — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possessive genitive modifying “turbas”; Translation: “of peoples / nations”; Notes: Genitive denotes collective plurality — Jacob’s descendants as many nations under divine blessing.

 

 

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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