Genesis 34:22

Posted on February 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 34:22 Unum est quo differtur tantum bonum: Si circumcidamus masculos nostros, ritum gentis imitantes.

There is only one thing by which such a good is delayed: if we circumcise our males, imitating the rite of the nation.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Unum one thing ADJ.NOM.SG.N
2 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 quo by which REL.PRON.ABL.SG.N
4 differtur is delayed 3SG.PRES.PASS.IND
5 tantum so great ADJ.ACC.SG.N
6 bonum good NOUN.ACC.SG.N
7 Si if CONJ
8 circumcidamus we circumcise 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 masculos males NOUN.ACC.PL.M
10 nostros our ADJ.ACC.PL.M
11 ritum rite NOUN.ACC.SG.M
12 gentis of the nation NOUN.GEN.SG.F
13 imitantes imitating PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.PL.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Unum (subject complement) + est (copulative verb) + quo differtur tantum bonum (relative clause acting as predicate).
Relative Clause: quo (relative pronoun, ablative of means) + differtur (verb) + tantum bonum (subject).
Subordinate Clause: Si circumcidamus masculos nostros (conditional clause) modifies the cause of delay.
Phrase: ritum gentis imitantes — participial phrase expressing manner, agreeing with implied subject “we.”

Morphology

  1. Unum — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject complement; Translation: “one thing”; Notes: Refers to a single factor or condition.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative active, 3rd person singular; Function: Linking verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: Connects subject complement to implied subject “it.”
  3. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Ablative singular neuter; Function: Introduces relative clause “by which”; Translation: “by which”; Notes: Expresses means or manner.
  4. differtur — Lemma: differo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative passive, 3rd person singular; Function: Verb of the relative clause; Translation: “is delayed”; Notes: Passive voice emphasizes the cause of delay rather than the agent.
  5. tantum — Lemma: tantus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Modifies bonum; Translation: “so great”; Notes: Expresses intensity or magnitude.
  6. bonum — Lemma: bonum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Subject of passive verb; Translation: “good”; Notes: Refers to the advantageous outcome being postponed.
  7. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: N/A; Function: Introduces conditional clause; Translation: “if”; Notes: Signals hypothetical condition.
  8. circumcidamus — Lemma: circumcido; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present subjunctive active, 1st person plural; Function: Verb of conditional clause; Translation: “we circumcise”; Notes: Subjunctive expresses potential action.
  9. masculos — Lemma: masculus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Direct object of circumcidamus; Translation: “males”; Notes: Refers to members of their group.
  10. nostros — Lemma: noster; Part of Speech: Adjective (possessive); Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies masculos; Translation: “our”; Notes: Possessive emphasizing communal identity.
  11. ritum — Lemma: ritus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of participle imitantes; Translation: “rite”; Notes: Refers to religious or cultural practice.
  12. gentis — Lemma: gens; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular feminine; Function: Possessive genitive; Translation: “of the nation”; Notes: Indicates to which group the rite belongs.
  13. imitantes — Lemma: imitor; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Present active participle, nominative plural masculine; Function: Modifies the implied subject “we”; Translation: “imitating”; Notes: Describes the manner in which the condition is fulfilled.

 

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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