Genesis 37:22

Posted on February 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 37:22 Non interficiatis animam eius, nec effundatis sanguinem: sed proiicite eum in cisternam hanc, quæ est in solitudine, manusque vestras servate innoxias: hoc autem dicebat, volens eripere eum de manibus eorum, et reddere patri suo.

“Do not kill his life nor spill blood but throw him into this cistern which is in the wilderness and keep your hands innocent”; however he was saying this wishing to rescue him from their hands and to return him to his father.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Non not NEG
2 interficiatis kill V.2PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
3 animam life NOUN.ACC.SG.F
4 eius his PRON.POSS.GEN.SG.M
5 nec nor CONJ.NEG
6 effundatis pour out V.2PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
7 sanguinem blood NOUN.ACC.SG.M
8 sed but CONJ
9 proiicite throw V.2PL.PRES.IMPER.ACT
10 eum him PRON.PERS.ACC.SG.M
11 in into PREP+ACC
12 cisternam cistern NOUN.ACC.SG.F
13 hanc this PRON.DEM.ACC.SG.F
14 quæ which PRON.REL.NOM.SG.F
15 est is V.3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
16 in in PREP+ABL
17 solitudine wilderness NOUN.ABL.SG.F
18 manusque and hands NOUN.NOM/ACC.PL.F + ENCLITIC -QUE
19 vestras your ADJ.POSS.ACC.PL.F
20 servate keep V.2PL.PRES.IMPER.ACT
21 innoxias innocent ADJ.ACC.PL.F
22 hoc this PRON.DEM.NOM.SG.N
23 autem however CONJ.ADV
24 dicebat he was saying V.3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
25 volens wishing PART.PRES.ACT.NOM.SG.M
26 eripere to rescue V.INF.PRES.ACT
27 eum him PRON.PERS.ACC.SG.M
28 de from PREP+ABL
29 manibus hands NOUN.ABL.PL.F
30 eorum their PRON.PERS.GEN.PL.M
31 et and CONJ
32 reddere to return V.INF.PRES.ACT
33 patri to his father NOUN.DAT.SG.M
34 suo his ADJ.POSS.DAT.SG.M

Syntax

Main prohibitory sequence: Non interficiatis animam eius nec effundatis sanguinem — negative prohibitions directed at the brothers. The Vulgate uses the subjunctive (interficiatis, effundatis) for negative commands addressed to multiple persons; non and nec coordinate the negations. animam eius and sanguinem are direct objects specifying what must not be done.

Alternative directive: sed proiicite eum in cisternam hanc quæ est in solitudine — contrastive conjunction sed introduces the preferred course of action: an imperative proiicite with direct object eum and goal expressed by the prepositional phrase in cisternam hanc. The relative clause quæ est in solitudine qualifies the cistern (relative pronoun quæ + finite verb est).

Ethical injunction: manusque vestras servate innoxias — servate (imperative) orders preservation of moral innocence; manusque (hands + enclitic) and vestras mark the locus and possessor; innoxias is the adjectival complement.

Reporting and purpose clause: hoc autem dicebat, volens eripere eum de manibus eorum et reddere patri suo — narrative verb dicebat (imperfect) introduces the reported speech and is supplemented by a participial purpose phrase volens eripere eum… that states Reuben’s intention (present participle + infinitives of purpose: eripere, reddere). The infinitives express intended results: eripere eum de manibus eorum (rescue from their hands) and reddere patri suo (restore/return to his father).

Morphology

  1. Non — Lemma: nōn; Part of Speech: adverb (negation); Form: indeclinable; Function: negates the following verb; Translation: “not”; Notes: Standard negative particle used with subjunctive to form prohibition.
  2. interficiatis — Lemma: interficiō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person plural present subjunctive active; Function: negative prohibition (jussive/subjunctive used in commands); Translation: “you kill / you should kill”; Notes: Subjunctive here expresses a negative command directed at the brothers (Vulgate style).
  3. animam — Lemma: anima; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of interficiatis; Translation: “life / soul”; Notes: Metonymic use—“kill his life” = kill him; specifies protected moral/legal interest.
  4. eius — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: possessive/demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive modifier of animam; Translation: “his”; Notes: Refers back to Joseph (the person whose life is at stake).
  5. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: coordinating negative conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds the second prohibition; Translation: “nor”; Notes: Combines with non to form a paired prohibition.
  6. effundatis — Lemma: effundō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person plural present subjunctive active; Function: negative prohibition parallel to interficiatis; Translation: “you pour out / you spill”; Notes: Refers to bloodshed; subjunctive used in prohibitory sense.
  7. sanguinem — Lemma: sanguis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of effundatis; Translation: “blood”; Notes: Concrete term for homicial violence.
  8. sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: adversative conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces alternative/contrastive action; Translation: “but”; Notes: Shifts from prohibition to a non-lethal disposition of Joseph.
  9. proiicite — Lemma: prōiiciō / prōiaciō (Vulgate spelling prōiiciō); Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person plural present imperative active; Function: command proposing non-lethal disposal; Translation: “throw away / cast” (imperative); Notes: Imperative directs physical action (casting into cistern) as an alternative to killing.
  10. eum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of proiicite; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Joseph; repeated object across verbs for clarity.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative here (motion into); Function: introduces destination of the casting; Translation: “into”; Notes: Accusative required for motion toward (in + acc.).
  12. cisternam — Lemma: cisterna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of the preposition in; Translation: “cistern / pit”; Notes: A pit or well used for water storage, here a receptacle for concealment.
  13. hanc — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun/adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: demonstrative modifier of cisternam; Translation: “this”; Notes: Deictic specification pointing to the particular cistern previously known to the group.
  14. quæ — Lemma: quī, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular feminine (relating to cisternam); Function: subject of the relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces the relative clause that further describes the cistern.
  15. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present indicative active; Function: copula in the relative clause; Translation: “is”; Notes: Links the relative pronoun to its locative complement in solitudine.
  16. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative here (location); Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: With ablative indicates place where (static).
  17. solitudine — Lemma: solitūdō; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in indicating place; Translation: “wilderness / solitude”; Notes: Emphasizes the secluded nature of the cistern (makes it suitable for concealment).
  18. manusque — Lemma: manus + enclitic -que; Part of Speech: noun + enclitic conjunction; Form: nominative/accusative plural feminine + enclitic; Function: subject/theme of the imperative servate (with vestras); Translation: “and your hands”; Notes: The enclitic -que connects the admonition to the previous clause; manuscripts vary in placement but the meaning is connective.
  19. vestras — Lemma: vester, -tra, -trum; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine agreeing with manus; Function: possessive modifier; Translation: “your”; Notes: Emphasizes ownership—hands belonging to the brothers, to be kept innocent.
  20. servate — Lemma: servō / servō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person plural present imperative active; Function: command to preserve/keep; Translation: “keep / preserve”; Notes: Moral injunction: preserve innocence, refrain from violent hands-on action.
  21. innoxias — Lemma: innoxius, -a, -um; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine agreeing with manus; Function: predicate/object complement of servate; Translation: “innocent / harmless”; Notes: Lit. “not harmful”; ethical quality to be maintained by their hands/actions.
  22. hoc — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: subject/neutral demonstrative referring to the preceding plan; Translation: “this”; Notes: Introductory demonstrative referring to the whole course of action just proposed and spoken.
  23. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adversative conjunction/adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: discourse connective introducing reported speech; Translation: “however / moreover”; Notes: Used in narration to signal a comment about the speaker’s motive or attitude.
  24. dicebat — Lemma: dīcō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect indicative active; Function: main reporting verb in the narrative; Translation: “he was saying”; Notes: Imperfect indicates repeated or ongoing speech; frames Reuben’s utterance as a persistent plea.
  25. volens — Lemma: volō (present participle volēns); Part of Speech: present active participle; Form: nominative singular masculine (agreeing with implied subject Reuben); Function: expresses the agent’s intention/motive; Translation: “wishing / wanting”; Notes: Introduces purpose infinitives that follow: volens + infinitives indicate intent (“wishing to …”).
  26. eripere — Lemma: eripiō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: infinitive of purpose with volens; Translation: “to rescue / to snatch away”; Notes: Specifies the first intended action: to snatch Joseph from their hands.
  27. eum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of eripere; Translation: “him”; Notes: Repetition of the referent (Joseph) for clarity in the purpose phrase.
  28. de — Lemma: dē; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces source from which Joseph is to be rescued; Translation: “from / out of”; Notes: Marks separation from the brothers’ control.
  29. manibus — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of de indicating the locus/possession to be taken away from; Translation: “(their) hands / power”; Notes: Figurative for control or custody.
  30. eorum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possessive genitive modifying manibus; Translation: “of them / their”; Notes: Refers back to the brothers as possessors of the hands/power.
  31. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: coordinating conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links the first purpose infinitive (eripere) to the second (reddere); Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins the two intended outcomes of Reuben’s wish.
  32. reddere — Lemma: reddō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present infinitive active; Function: second infinitive of purpose with volens; Translation: “to restore / to return”; Notes: Specifies the intended destination: to restore Joseph to his father.
  33. patri — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object/recipient with reddere; Translation: “to (his) father”; Notes: Denotes the beneficiary/recipient of the return action (Jacob/Israel).
  34. suo — Lemma: suus, -a, -um; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: dative singular masculine agreeing with patri; Function: possessive modifier of patri; Translation: “his”; Notes: Reflexive possessive referring back to the subject Reuben (his father meaning their father Jacob).

 

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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