Genesis 31:22

Posted on January 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 31:22 nunciatum est Laban die tertio quod fugeret Iacob.

and it was told to Laban on the third day that Jacob had fled.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 nunciatum it was told NOM.SG.N.PERF.PTCP.PASS
2 est was 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Laban to Laban DAT.SG.M
4 die on the day ABL.SG.M
5 tertio third ABL.SG.M.NUM
6 quod that CONJ
7 fugeret had fled 3SG.IMPF.ACT.SUBJ
8 Iacob Jacob NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: nunciatum est Laban die tertio — an impersonal passive construction meaning “it was told to Laban on the third day.”
Subordinate Clause: quod fugeret Iacob — a dependent clause introduced by quod, explaining the content of the message.
Overall Structure: Expresses the moment of Laban’s discovery, marking the narrative shift from Jacob’s secret flight to Laban’s pursuit.

Morphology

  1. nunciatum — Lemma: nuncio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular neuter perfect passive; Function: part of impersonal passive phrase; Translation: “it was told”; Notes: Forms an impersonal passive where the agent is implied; typical for Latin indirect reports.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: present indicative active, 3rd person singular; Function: auxiliary for perfect tense; Translation: “was”; Notes: Completes the perfect passive construction nunciatum est.
  3. Laban — Lemma: Laban; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to Laban”; Notes: Recipient of the information, functioning as dative of interest.
  4. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Indicates the precise time of the event.
  5. tertio — Lemma: tertius; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies die; Translation: “third”; Notes: Specifies sequence, emphasizing delay before Laban’s awareness.
  6. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: subordinating conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces indirect statement; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the content of the message in subjunctive mood.
  7. fugeret — Lemma: fugio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive, 3rd person singular; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “had fled”; Notes: Subjunctive used to express reported speech or thought in indirect discourse.
  8. Iacob — Lemma: Iacob; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of fugeret; Translation: “Jacob”; Notes: Central actor of the event, marking the transition to the pursuit narrative.

 

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.