Genesis 37:7

Posted on February 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 37:7 Putabam nos ligare manipulos in agro: et quasi consurgere manipulum meum, et stare, vestrosque manipulos circumstantes adorare manipulum meum.

I thought we were binding sheaves in the field; and behold, my sheaf rose up and stood, and your sheaves standing around worshiped my sheaf.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Putabam I thought V.1SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
2 nos we PRON.PERS.ACC.PL
3 ligare to bind V.INF.PRES.ACT
4 manipulos sheaves NOUN.ACC.PL.M
5 in in PREP+ABL
6 agro field NOUN.ABL.SG.M
7 et and CONJ
8 quasi as if ADV
9 consurgere to rise V.INF.PRES.ACT
10 manipulum sheaf NOUN.ACC.SG.M
11 meum my PRON.POSS.ACC.SG.M
12 et and CONJ
13 stare to stand V.INF.PRES.ACT
14 vestrosque and your ADJ.POSS.ACC.PL.M + ENCLITIC
15 manipulos sheaves NOUN.ACC.PL.M
16 circumstantes standing around PART.PRES.ACT.ACC.PL.M
17 adorare to worship V.INF.PRES.ACT
18 manipulum sheaf NOUN.ACC.SG.M
19 meum my PRON.POSS.ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Putabam nos ligare manipulos in agro —
The verb Putabam governs an accusative-infinitive construction (nos ligare manipulos), expressing indirect discourse: “I thought we were binding sheaves.” The prepositional phrase in agro specifies location.

Subordinate Clauses:
1. et quasi consurgere manipulum meum et stare — Two coordinated infinitives dependent on an implied vidi (“and as if my sheaf were rising and standing”). The adverb quasi introduces a comparative or visionary nuance (“as if”).
2. vestrosque manipulos circumstantes adorare manipulum meum — Another accusative-infinitive construction: “and your sheaves standing around worshiping my sheaf.” The participle circumstantes modifies manipulos, and the infinitive adorare expresses the visionary action.

Morphology

  1. Putabam — Lemma: putō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular imperfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: “I thought”; Notes: Introduces indirect discourse through an accusative + infinitive clause.
  2. nos — Lemma: nōs; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: subject of infinitive ligare; Translation: “we”; Notes: Accusative subject in indirect discourse.
  3. ligare — Lemma: ligō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: infinitive complement in indirect discourse; Translation: “to bind”; Notes: Describes the ongoing action imagined.
  4. manipulos — Lemma: manipulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of ligare; Translation: “sheaves”; Notes: Refers to bundles of grain in agricultural metaphor.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: “in”; Notes: With the ablative agro indicating place where.
  6. agro — Lemma: ager; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “field”; Notes: Locative ablative of place.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: joins clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple coordinator.
  8. quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: adverb/conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces comparative or hypothetical clause; Translation: “as if”; Notes: Marks visionary or metaphorical scene.
  9. consurgere — Lemma: cōnsurgō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: infinitive in subordinate clause; Translation: “to rise”; Notes: Symbolic of Joseph’s exaltation.
  10. manipulum — Lemma: manipulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of consurgere (implied vision); Translation: “sheaf”; Notes: Represents Joseph’s person or destiny.
  11. meum — Lemma: meus, -a, -um; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies manipulum; Translation: “my”; Notes: Possessive, identifying Joseph’s own sheaf.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects infinitives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links consurgere with stare.
  13. stare — Lemma: stō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: second infinitive in the series; Translation: “to stand”; Notes: Depicts stability or exaltation of Joseph’s position.
  14. vestrosque — Lemma: vester, -a, -um + -que; Part of Speech: possessive adjective (+ enclitic conjunction); Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies manipulos; Translation: “and your”; Notes: Emphasizes the brothers’ sheaves as distinct from Joseph’s.
  15. manipulos — Lemma: manipulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of adorare; Translation: “sheaves”; Notes: Metaphor for the brothers themselves.
  16. circumstantes — Lemma: circumstō; Part of Speech: participle; Form: accusative plural masculine, present active; Function: modifies manipulos; Translation: “standing around”; Notes: Descriptive participle, visualizing their subordination.
  17. adorare — Lemma: adōrō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: infinitive complement; Translation: “to worship”; Notes: Depicts submission or reverence toward Joseph’s preeminence.
  18. manipulum — Lemma: manipulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of adorare; Translation: “sheaf”; Notes: Repetition of imagery underscores centrality of Joseph’s role.
  19. meum — Lemma: meus, -a, -um; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies manipulum; Translation: “my”; Notes: Repetition reinforces possession and prophetic symbolism.

 

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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