Genesis 30:13

Posted on January 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 30:13 Dixitque Lia: Hoc pro beatitudine mea: Beatam quippe me dicent mulieres. propterea appellavit eum, Aser.

And Lia said: “This is for my happiness, for women will call me blessed.” Therefore she named him Aser.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixitque and she said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + ENCL.CONJ
2 Lia Leah NOM.SG.F.PROPN
3 Hoc this NOM/ACC.SG.N.DEMONSTR.PRON
4 pro for PREP + ABL
5 beatitudine happiness ABL.SG.F
6 mea my ABL.SG.F.POSS.ADJ
7 Beatum blessed ACC.SG.M.ADJ
8 quippe indeed ADV
9 me me ACC.SG.1P.PRON
10 dicent they will call 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND
11 mulieres women NOM.PL.F
12 propterea therefore ADV
13 appellavit she named 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
14 eum him ACC.SG.M.PRON
15 Aser Asher ACC.SG.M.PROPN

Syntax

Direct Speech Clause: Dixitque Lia — Lia (“Leah”) is the nominative subject, and Dixitque (“and she said”) introduces a declaration of gratitude following childbirth.
Explanatory Statement: Hoc pro beatitudine mea — The demonstrative Hoc acts as subject or predicate nominative meaning “This [is] for my happiness.” The preposition pro with ablative beatitudine mea expresses cause or benefit (“on account of my happiness”).
Subordinate Clause: Beatum quippe me dicent mulieres — Literally “For indeed women will call me blessed.” The adjective Beatum functions as predicate accusative with me and dicent. The nominative plural mulieres acts as the subject of dicent.
Result Clause: propterea appellavit eum Aser — Propterea (“therefore”) introduces a conclusion, and appellavit takes two accusatives (eum and Aser), forming a standard naming construction.

Morphology

  1. Dixitque — Lemma: dico + que; Part of Speech: verb + enclitic conjunction; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: introduces speech; Translation: “and she said”; Notes: Connects this statement to the preceding birth narrative.
  2. Lia — Lemma: Lia; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of Dixitque; Translation: “Leah”; Notes: The speaker in the verse.
  3. Hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: pronoun (demonstrative); Form: nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: subject of implied verb est; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the birth event as a source of happiness.
  4. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses cause or relation; Translation: “for”; Notes: Introduces the basis for Leah’s joy.
  5. beatitudine — Lemma: beatitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of pro; Translation: “happiness”; Notes: From beatus (“blessed”), here meaning “blessedness” or “joy.”
  6. mea — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective (possessive); Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: agrees with beatitudine; Translation: “my”; Notes: Indicates personal possession of happiness.
  7. Beatum — Lemma: beatus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: predicate accusative with me; Translation: “blessed”; Notes: Expresses the judgment made by others.
  8. quippe — Lemma: quippe; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: strengthens the statement; Translation: “indeed”; Notes: Reinforces certainty of the prediction.
  9. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: direct object of dicent; Translation: “me”; Notes: Leah is the one being called blessed.
  10. dicent — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative 3rd plural; Function: main verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “they will call”; Notes: Refers to the opinion of other women.
  11. mulieres — Lemma: mulier; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of dicent; Translation: “women”; Notes: Refers to the community recognizing Leah’s fertility.
  12. propterea — Lemma: propterea; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces causal/result clause; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Connects Leah’s declaration to the naming act.
  13. appellavit — Lemma: appello; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of result clause; Translation: “she named”; Notes: Indicates completion of naming act.
  14. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of appellavit; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to the newborn son.
  15. Aser — Lemma: Aser; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: predicate accusative of appellavit; Translation: “Asher”; Notes: Hebrew meaning “happy” or “blessed,” reinforcing Leah’s statement of joy.

 

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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