Genesis 31:44

Posted on January 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 31:44 Veni ergo, et ineamus fœdus: ut sit in testimonium inter me et te.

Come now, therefore, and let us make a covenant, that it may be a witness between me and you.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Veni come VERB 2SG PRESENT ACTIVE IMPERATIVE
2 ergo therefore ADVERB
3 et and CONJUNCTION
4 ineamus let us make / enter VERB 1PL PRESENT ACTIVE SUBJUNCTIVE (HORTATORY)
5 fœdus covenant NOUN ACC.SG.N
6 ut that / so that CONJUNCTION PURPOSE
7 sit it may be VERB 3SG PRESENT ACTIVE SUBJUNCTIVE
8 in in / as PREPOSITION + ABL
9 testimonium witness NOUN ACC.SG.N (after “in” expressing purpose)
10 inter between PREPOSITION + ACC
11 me me PRONOUN ACC.SG.1
12 et and CONJUNCTION
13 te you PRONOUN ACC.SG.2

Syntax

Main Imperative Clause: Veni ergo — direct imperative command calling for immediate action; ergo adds logical or persuasive force (“come, therefore”).
Hortatory Subjunctive Clause: ineamus fœdus — ineamus (1st person plural subjunctive) expresses mutual proposal (“let us make”); fœdus serves as its object.
Purpose Clause: ut sit in testimonium inter me et te — ut introduces purpose; sit (subjunctive) conveys intention (“that it may be”); prepositional phrase in testimonium indicates function (“as a witness”), with inter me et te marking the two parties.
Syntax Summary: The structure consists of sequential persuasion: an invitation (veni), cooperative intent (ineamus fœdus), and moral purpose (ut sit in testimonium). The verse is dialogical and covenantal, highlighting equality before God and mutual accountability.

Morphology

  1. Veni — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present active imperative; Function: direct command; Translation: “come”; Notes: Immediate exhortation directed to Jacob by Laban.
  2. ergo — Lemma: ergo; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: inferential connector; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Provides logical continuation from preceding argument.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links invitation and purpose.
  4. ineamus — Lemma: ineō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person plural present active subjunctive; Function: hortatory subjunctive; Translation: “let us make / enter”; Notes: Expresses cooperative decision-making.
  5. fœdus — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of “ineamus”; Translation: “covenant”; Notes: Refers to a solemn binding agreement before God.
  6. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “that / so that”; Notes: Governs subjunctive “sit.”
  7. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “it may be”; Notes: Subjunctive marks intention rather than assertion.
  8. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses purpose or function; Translation: “as / into / for”; Notes: Common idiom with “in testimonium.”
  9. testimonium — Lemma: testimonium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of “in”; Translation: “witness”; Notes: Symbolic witness to the covenant between the two men.
  10. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses relationship between two parties; Translation: “between”; Notes: Common in covenantal formulae.
  11. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular first person; Function: object of “inter”; Translation: “me”; Notes: First party in covenant.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links pronouns “me” and “te.”
  13. te — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular second person; Function: object of “inter”; Translation: “you”; Notes: Second party in covenant, 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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