Genesis 42:32

Posted on February 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 42:32 Duodecim fratres uno patre geniti sumus: unus non est super, minimus cum patre nostro est in terra Chanaan.

We are twelve brothers born of one father: one is no longer alive, the youngest is with our father in the land of Chanaan.’

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Duodecim twelve NUM.INDECL
2 fratres brothers NOM.PL.M
3 uno one ABL.SG.M
4 patre father ABL.SG.M
5 geniti born PERF.PASS.PTCP.NOM.PL.M
6 sumus we are 1PL.PRES.ACT.IND
7 unus one NOM.SG.M
8 non not ADV
9 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
10 super alive / remaining ADV
11 minimus the youngest NOM.SG.M.SUPERL
12 cum with PREP+ABL
13 patre father ABL.SG.M
14 nostro our ABL.SG.M
15 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
16 in in PREP+ABL
17 terra land ABL.SG.F
18 Chanaan Canaan ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Duodecim fratres uno patre geniti sumus — “We are twelve brothers born from one father.”
• Duodecim fratres = subject.
• uno patre = ablative of origin.
• geniti modifies “fratres.”
• sumus = main verb.

Second Clause: unus non est super — idiom meaning “one is no longer alive / no longer remaining.”
• super functioning adverbially (“remaining”).

Third Clause: minimus cum patre nostro est — “the youngest is with our father.”
Locative Phrase: in terra Chanaan — geographical specification.

Morphology

  1. Duodecim — Lemma: duodecim; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: cardinal modifier of “fratres”; Translation: “twelve”; Notes: Counts the brothers.
  2. fratres — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “brothers”; Notes: Refers to Jacob’s sons.
  3. uno — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies “patre”; Translation: “one”; Notes: Indicates one common father.
  4. patre — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of source/origin; Translation: “father”; Notes: Introduces origin of the brothers.
  5. geniti — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies “fratres”; Translation: “born”; Notes: Indicates common birth.
  6. sumus — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 1st plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “we are”; Notes: Identifies identity of speakers.
  7. unus — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “one”; Notes: Refers to Joseph as presumed dead.
  8. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negation; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates “est.”
  9. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: Used in idiom.
  10. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: idiomatic complement; Translation: “alive / remaining”; Notes: Literal “above,” figurative “still alive.”
  11. minimus — Lemma: parvus; Part of Speech: adjective (superlative); Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “the youngest”; Notes: Refers to Benjamin.
  12. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: accompaniment; Translation: “with”; Notes: Strong relational marker.
  13. patre — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: “father”; Notes: Refers to Jacob.
  14. nostro — Lemma: noster; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies “patre”; Translation: “our”; Notes: Indicates family relation.
  15. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: Copula linking “minimus” and “cum patre nostro.”
  16. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: Indicates geographical position.
  17. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: “land”; Notes: Part of place-name construction.
  18. Chanaan — Lemma: Chanaan; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: geographic specification; Translation: “Chanaan”; Notes: Vulgate form of Canaan.

 

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.