Genesis 29:19

Posted on January 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 29:19 Respondit Laban: Melius est ut tibi eam dem quam alteri viro, mane apud me.

Laban replied: “It is better that I give her to you than to another man; stay with me.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Respondit he replied 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Laban Laban NOM.SG.M.PROPN
3 Melius better NOM.SG.N.COMP.ADV/SUBST
4 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 ut that CONJ
6 tibi to you DAT.SG.2P.PRON
7 eam her ACC.SG.F.PRON
8 dem I give 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 quam than CONJ
10 alteri to another DAT.SG.M/ADJ.SUBST
11 viro man DAT.SG.M
12 mane stay 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMPER
13 apud with PREP+ACC
14 me me ACC.SG.1P.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Respondit Laban — The verb respondit introduces direct speech. The nominative Laban is the subject, marking the response to Jacob’s proposal.
Subjunctive Clause: Melius est ut tibi eam dem quam alteri viro — The comparative phrase Melius est (“it is better”) is followed by a purpose clause introduced by ut with subjunctive dem (“that I give”). The dative tibi and alteri viro contrast the recipients (“to you” vs. “to another man”).
Imperative Clause: mane apud me — Imperative mane (“stay”) commands Jacob to remain. The prepositional phrase apud me specifies location or association (“with me”).

Morphology

  1. Respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “he replied”; Notes: Introduces Laban’s speech following Jacob’s request.
  2. Laban — Lemma: Laban; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of respondit; Translation: “Laban”; Notes: Speaker of the direct statement.
  3. Melius — Lemma: melior; Part of Speech: adjective (comparative, used substantively); Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective with est; Translation: “better”; Notes: Forms comparative judgment in impersonal construction.
  4. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: linking verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: Completes the impersonal phrase “it is better.”
  5. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: introduces a noun clause of result or purpose; Translation: “that”; Notes: Governs subjunctive dem.
  6. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object of dem; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Indicates beneficiary of the action.
  7. eam — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of dem; Translation: “her”; Notes: Refers to Rachel.
  8. dem — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 1st singular; Function: verb in noun clause after ut; Translation: “I give”; Notes: Subjunctive expressing volition or purpose.
  9. quam — Lemma: quam; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: “than”; Notes: Connects comparative choice between two recipients.
  10. alteri — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective (used substantively); Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of dem; Translation: “to another”; Notes: Contrasts with tibi.
  11. viro — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: appositive to alteri; Translation: “man”; Notes: Clarifies that the alternative recipient is a man (husband).
  12. mane — Lemma: maneo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative 2nd singular; Function: direct command; Translation: “stay”; Notes: Instruction from Laban to Jacob.
  13. apud — Lemma: apud; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses association or proximity; Translation: “with”; Notes: Commonly used to denote residence or companionship.
  14. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: object of apud; Translation: “me”; Notes: Refers to Laban himself.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Genesis. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.