Genesis 41:19

Posted on February 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 41:19 et ecce, has sequebantur aliæ septem boves in tantum deformes et macilentæ, ut numquam tales in terra Ægypti viderim:

And behold, seven other cows were following these, so exceedingly deformed and lean that never such cows have I seen in the land of Egypt;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 ecce behold INTERJ
3 has these ACC.PL.F.DEM
4 sequebantur were following 3PL.IMPFT.DEP.IND
5 aliae other NOM.PL.F
6 septem seven NUM.INVAR
7 boves cows NOM.PL.F
8 in in / to such a degree PREP+ACC (IDIOM)
9 tantum so greatly ACC.SG.N.ADVIAL
10 deformes deformed ACC.PL.F
11 et and CONJ
12 macilentae lean NOM.PL.F
13 ut that CONJ.PURP/RESULT
14 numquam never ADV
15 tales such ACC.PL.F
16 in in PREP+ABL
17 terra land ABL.SG.F
18 Aegypti of Egypt GEN.SG.F
19 viderim I have seen 1SG.PERF.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Main Clause:
et ecce — interjection introducing a vivid narrative moment.
Verb: sequebantur — “were following,” main descriptive verb.
Object: has — “these,” referring to the first group of cows.
Subject: aliae septem boves — “seven other cows.”

Descriptive result phrase: in tantum deformes et macilentae
• in tantum — idiomatic expression meaning “to such an extent.”
• deformes — predicate accusative linked to boves.
• macilentae — nominative plural feminine, describing the subject as well.

Result clause: ut numquam tales in terra Aegypti viderim
• ut — introduces result (“so that”).
• numquam — “never.”
• tales — object of viderim.
• in terra Aegypti — locative phrase specifying context.
• viderim — perfect subjunctive in a result clause (“that I have never seen”).

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects narrative elements; Translation: “and”; Notes: frequent connective.
  2. ecce — Lemma: ecce; Part of Speech: interjection; Form: invariable; Function: introduces vivid scene; Translation: “behold”; Notes: dramatic deictic marker.
  3. has — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of sequebantur; Translation: “these”; Notes: refers to previously described cows.
  4. sequebantur — Lemma: sequor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: imperfect indicative third person plural; Function: main verb of the clause; Translation: “were following”; Notes: deponent with active meaning.
  5. aliae — Lemma: alius; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject modifying boves; Translation: “other”; Notes: agrees with boves.
  6. septem — Lemma: septem; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: numeral modifier; Translation: “seven”; Notes: standard cardinal.
  7. boves — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of sequebantur; Translation: “cows”; Notes: feminine by contextual reference.
  8. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative here idiomatically; Function: forms idiom in tantum; Translation: “to such an extent”; Notes: idiomatic intensifier.
  9. tantum — Lemma: tantus; Part of Speech: adjective used adverbially; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: intensifier of degree; Translation: “so greatly”; Notes: neuter form used adverbially.
  10. deformes — Lemma: deformis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: predicate with boves; Translation: “deformed”; Notes: indicates extraordinary ugliness.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins paired qualities; Translation: “and”; Notes: links descriptors.
  12. macilentae — Lemma: macilentus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: predicate adjective with boves; Translation: “lean”; Notes: contrasts with earlier “fat” cows.
  13. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: introduces result clause; Function: marks consequence; Translation: “that”; Notes: result not purpose here.
  14. numquam — Lemma: numquam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negates experience; Translation: “never”; Notes: temporal negation.
  15. tales — Lemma: talis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of viderim; Translation: “such”; Notes: refers to uniquely poor condition.
  16. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: marks location; Translation: “in”; Notes: standard locative use.
  17. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “land”; Notes: locative phrase.
  18. Aegypti — Lemma: Aegyptus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies terra; Translation: “of Egypt”; Notes: genitive of place.
  19. viderim — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active subjunctive first person singular; Function: verb of result clause; Translation: “I have seen”; Notes: subjunctive required in result constructions.

 

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.