Genesis 31:12

Posted on January 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 31:12 Qui ait: Leva oculos tuos, et vide universos masculos ascendentes super feminas, varios, maculosos, atque respersos. Vidi enim omnia quæ fecit tibi Laban.

He said: ‘Lift up your eyes and see all the males mounting the females, variegated, spotted, and speckled. For I have seen all that Laban has done to you.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Qui who NOM.SG.M.REL.PRON
2 ait said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Leva lift up 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
4 oculos eyes ACC.PL.M
5 tuos your ACC.PL.M.PRON
6 et and CONJ
7 vide see 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
8 universos all ACC.PL.M.ADJ
9 masculos males ACC.PL.M
10 ascendentes mounting ACC.PL.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
11 super upon PREP+ACC
12 feminas females ACC.PL.F
13 varios variegated ACC.PL.M.ADJ
14 maculosos spotted ACC.PL.M.ADJ
15 atque and CONJ
16 respersos speckled ACC.PL.M.ADJ
17 Vidi I have seen 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
18 enim for ADV.CAUS
19 omnia all ACC.PL.N
20 quæ which NOM.PL.N.REL.PRON
21 fecit he has done 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
22 tibi to you DAT.SG.PRON
23 Laban Laban NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Relative Clause: Qui ait — modifies “angelus Dei” from the previous verse, introducing the angel’s speech.
Imperative Clause: Leva oculos tuos, et vide universos masculos ascendentes super feminas — commands Jacob to observe the divine sign revealed through the flocks.
Descriptive Phrase: varios, maculosos, atque respersos — coordinated adjectives describing the animals’ appearance.
Explanatory Clause: Vidi enim omnia quæ fecit tibi Laban — divine reassurance that God is aware of Laban’s injustices toward Jacob.

Morphology

  1. Qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: introduces subordinate clause; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers back to “angelus Dei,” continuing divine discourse.
  2. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: main verb of the relative clause; Translation: “said”; Notes: Common in Biblical Latin for divine or angelic speech.
  3. Leva — Lemma: levo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative, 2nd person singular; Function: command verb; Translation: “lift up”; Notes: Symbolizes awakening to divine revelation.
  4. oculos — Lemma: oculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of leva; Translation: “eyes”; Notes: Metaphorical for spiritual sight.
  5. tuos — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies oculos; Translation: “your”; Notes: Reinforces personal involvement of Jacob in vision.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects imperatives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Adds second directive action (“see”).
  7. vide — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative, 2nd person singular active; Function: imperative; Translation: “see”; Notes: Introduces vision content revealing divine control.
  8. universos — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies masculos; Translation: “all”; Notes: Indicates totality of observed male animals.
  9. masculos — Lemma: masculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of vide; Translation: “males”; Notes: Refers to rams involved in breeding vision.
  10. ascendentes — Lemma: ascendo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: accusative plural masculine, present active; Function: modifies masculos; Translation: “mounting”; Notes: Visual detail reinforcing symbolic procreation imagery.
  11. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses movement onto; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Indicates mating activity literal and symbolic.
  12. feminas — Lemma: femina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: “females”; Notes: Refers to ewes in flocks.
  13. varios — Lemma: varius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifier of masculos; Translation: “variegated”; Notes: Describes patterned coloration divinely appointed.
  14. maculosos — Lemma: maculosus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifier of masculos; Translation: “spotted”; Notes: Adds another visual attribute of divine mark.
  15. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: joins final adjective; Translation: “and”; Notes: Stronger conjunction emphasizing completion of list.
  16. respersos — Lemma: respergo; Part of Speech: participle/adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine, perfect passive; Function: modifier of masculos; Translation: “speckled”; Notes: Indicates divine variation among animals symbolic of blessing.
  17. Vidi — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, 1st person singular; Function: main verb of new clause; Translation: “I have seen”; Notes: The divine “I” signals YHWH’s omniscience.
  18. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: causal connector; Translation: “for”; Notes: Explains divine awareness of Laban’s actions.
  19. omnia — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of Vidi; Translation: “all”; Notes: Emphasizes totality of divine perception.
  20. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers to deeds of Laban.
  21. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: main verb of relative clause; Translation: “he has done”; Notes: Refers to Laban’s treatment of Jacob.
  22. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Marks Jacob as recipient of Laban’s deeds.
  23. Laban — Lemma: Laban; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of fecit; Translation: “Laban”; Notes: Named antagonist, representing human injustice corrected by divine observation.

 

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.