Genesis 30:28

Posted on January 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 30:28 constitue mercedem tuam quam dem tibi.

set your wages that I may give them to you.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 constitue set 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMPER
2 mercedem wages ACC.SG.F
3 tuam your ACC.SG.F.POSS.ADJ
4 quam which ACC.SG.F.REL.PRON
5 dem I may give 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
6 tibi to you DAT.SG.2P.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Constitue mercedem tuam — The imperative constitue (“set”) governs the direct object mercedem tuam (“your wages”). This is a command from Laban to Jacob to determine his desired compensation.
Relative Clause of Purpose: quam dem tibi — The relative pronoun quam (“which”) refers back to mercedem. The verb dem (“I may give”) in the subjunctive expresses Laban’s intention or purpose: “that I may give it to you.”

Morphology

  1. constitue — Lemma: constituo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative 2nd singular; Function: main verb of command; Translation: “set”; Notes: Imperative urging Jacob to state his desired reward, showing Laban’s willingness to negotiate.
  2. mercedem — Lemma: merces; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of constitue; Translation: “wages”; Notes: Refers to payment or reward for service rendered.
  3. tuam — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: adjective (possessive); Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies mercedem; Translation: “your”; Notes: Personalizes the request, emphasizing Laban’s deference to Jacob’s choice.
  4. quam — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of dem; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers back to mercedem tuam, linking both clauses.
  5. dem — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 1st singular; Function: main verb of relative clause (purpose); Translation: “I may give”; Notes: Subjunctive expresses intention or offer, indicating Laban’s willingness.
  6. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object of dem; Translation: “to you”; Notes: The recipient of the reward, referring 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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