Genesis 30:23

Posted on January 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 30:23 Quæ concepit, et peperit filium, dicens: Abstulit Deus opprobrium meum.

And she conceived, and bore a son, saying: “God has taken away my reproach.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quæ who NOM.SG.F.REL.PRON
2 concepit conceived 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 et and CONJ
4 peperit bore 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 filium son ACC.SG.M
6 dicens saying NOM.SG.F.PRES.ACT.PART
7 Abstulit has taken away 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 Deus God NOM.SG.M
9 opprobrium reproach ACC.SG.N
10 meum my ACC.SG.N.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Main Clause: Quæ concepit, et peperit filium — The relative pronoun Quæ (“who”) refers to Rachel from the previous verse. Two coordinated verbs, concepit and peperit, describe the sequential acts of conception and childbirth, with filium as the direct object.
Participial Phrase: dicens (“saying”) introduces Rachel’s words of thanksgiving, functioning adverbially to express her reaction to the birth.
Quotation Clause: Abstulit Deus opprobrium meum — Deus serves as the subject of Abstulit (“has taken away”), governing the direct object opprobrium meum (“my reproach”).

Morphology

  1. Quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject referring to Rachel; Translation: “who”; Notes: Connects this verse with the previous statement about Rachel’s divine remembrance.
  2. concepit — Lemma: concipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: first verb in series; Translation: “conceived”; Notes: Denotes successful conception following divine intervention.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: joins concepit and peperit; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple coordination expressing temporal sequence.
  4. peperit — Lemma: pario; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of clause; Translation: “bore”; Notes: Marks completion of the promised blessing — Rachel’s first son, Yosep.
  5. filium — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of peperit; Translation: “son”; Notes: Refers to Yosep, Rachel’s long-awaited child.
  6. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular feminine present active participle; Function: adverbial participle introducing direct speech; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Conveys Rachel’s immediate verbal response to her son’s birth.
  7. Abstulit — Lemma: aufero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of quotation; Translation: “has taken away”; Notes: Expresses divine removal of shame, emphasizing God’s active deliverance.
  8. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of Abstulit; Translation: “God”; Notes: The agent who restores Rachel’s honor and fertility.
  9. opprobrium — Lemma: opprobrium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of Abstulit; Translation: “reproach”; Notes: Symbolizes Rachel’s social shame for previous barrenness.
  10. meum — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective (possessive); Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies opprobrium; Translation: “my”; Notes: Personalizes Rachel’s testimony of divine vindication.

 

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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