Genesis 31:3

Posted on January 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 31:3 maxime dicente sibi Domino: Revertere in terram patrum tuorum, et ad generationem tuam, eroque tecum.

especially as the LORD was saying to him: “Return to the land of your fathers, and to your kindred, and I will be with you.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 maxime especially ADV
2 dicente saying ABL.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
3 sibi to himself DAT.SG.REFL.PRON
4 Domino the LORD ABL.SG.M
5 Revertere return 2SG.PRES.IMP.ACT
6 in into PREP+ACC
7 terram land ACC.SG.F
8 patrum of the fathers GEN.PL.M
9 tuorum your GEN.PL.M.PRON
10 et and CONJ
11 ad to PREP+ACC
12 generationem kindred ACC.SG.F
13 tuam your ACC.SG.F.PRON
14 eroque and I will be 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND+ENCLITIC
15 tecum with you PREP+ABL.PRON

Syntax

Circumstantial Clause: maxime dicente sibi Domino — ablative absolute expressing circumstance (“especially as the LORD was saying to him”).
Direct Speech (Command): Revertere in terram patrum tuorum, et ad generationem tuam — two coordinated imperatives of motion introduced by prepositions in and ad.
Promise Clause: eroque tecum — future assurance using enclitic -que to link the divine presence to the prior command.

Morphology

  1. maxime — Lemma: maxime; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: superlative degree; Function: intensifier modifying the ablative absolute; Translation: “especially”; Notes: Indicates primary motivation for Jacob’s decision to return.
  2. dicente — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative singular masculine, present active; Function: predicate of ablative absolute; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Participial form dependent on Domino, marking divine speech.
  3. sibi — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: reflexive pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object of dicente; Translation: “to himself”; Notes: Refers to Jacob as recipient of divine address.
  4. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: agent in ablative absolute; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the speaker commanding Jacob.
  5. Revertere — Lemma: revertor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: 2nd person singular present imperative; Function: direct command; Translation: “return”; Notes: Imperative urging Jacob’s obedience to divine command.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: direction; Translation: “into”; Notes: Marks motion toward the land.
  7. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “land”; Notes: Refers to ancestral homeland of Jacob’s family.
  8. patrum — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of the fathers”; Notes: Denotes patriarchal heritage, connecting Jacob to Abraham and Isaac.
  9. tuorum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possessive adjective modifying patrum; Translation: “your”; Notes: Indicates personal familial connection.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates imperative phrases; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins two destinations of Jacob’s journey.
  11. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates motion toward; Translation: “to”; Notes: Connects movement with kinship group.
  12. generationem — Lemma: generatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “kindred”; Notes: Refers to Jacob’s extended family line or clan.
  13. tuam — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: possessive modifier of generationem; Translation: “your”; Notes: Reinforces personal familial association.
  14. eroque — Lemma: sum (+ -que); Part of Speech: verb with enclitic; Form: future active indicative 1st singular; Function: main verb of divine promise; Translation: “and I will be”; Notes: Enclitic -que ties assurance to preceding commands, forming covenantal promise.
  15. tecum — Lemma: tu + cum; Part of Speech: preposition + pronoun; Form: ablative singular; Function: adverbial complement; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Expresses divine companionship and protection.

 

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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