Genesis 43:11

Posted on February 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 43:11 Igitur Israel pater eorum dixit ad eos: Si sic necesse est, facite quod vultis: sumite de optimis terræ fructibus in vasis vestris, et deferte viro munera, modicum resinæ, et mellis, et storacis, stactes, et terebinthi, et amygdalarum.

Therefore Israel their father said to them: “If it must be so, do what you wish; take of the best fruits of the land in your vessels, and carry gifts to the man — a little resin, and honey, and storax, myrrh-drops, and terebinth-nuts, and almonds.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Igitur therefore ADV
2 Israel Israel NOM.SG.M
3 pater father NOM.SG.M
4 eorum their GEN.PL.M
5 dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 ad to PREP+ACC
7 eos them ACC.PL.M
8 Si if CONJ
9 sic so ADV
10 necesse necessary NOM/ACC.SG.N
11 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
12 facite do 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
13 quod that which ACC.SG.N.REL
14 vultis you wish 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
15 sumite take 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
16 de from PREP+ABL
17 optimis best ABL.PL.N
18 terræ of the land GEN.SG.F
19 fructibus fruits ABL.PL.M
20 in in PREP+ABL
21 vasis vessels ABL.PL.N
22 vestris your ABL.PL.N.POSS
23 et and CONJ
24 deferte carry 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
25 viro to the man DAT.SG.M
26 munera gifts ACC.PL.N
27 modicum a little ACC.SG.N
28 resinæ resin GEN.SG.F
29 et and CONJ
30 melis honey GEN.SG.N
31 et and CONJ
32 storacis storax GEN.SG.M
33 stactes myrrh-drops GEN.SG.F
34 et and CONJ
35 terebinthi terebinth-nuts GEN.SG.F
36 et and CONJ
37 amygdalarum almonds GEN.PL.F

Syntax

Main clause: Israel pater eorum dixit ad eos — Subject Israel pater eorum + Verb dixit + Indirect Object ad eos.
Conditional clause: Si sic necesse est — real condition, impersonal expression governed by est.
Imperative sequence: facite quod vultis — command with relative clause object.
Further imperatives: sumite … fructibus and deferte viro munera.
Object list: modicum resinæ, et mellis, et storacis, stactes, et terebinthi, et amygdalarum — series of genitives dependent on modicum.
Phrases: in vasis vestris — locative/ablative of place; de optimis terræ fructibus — partitive ablative.

Morphology

  1. Igitur — Lemma: igitur; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: adverbial; Function: introduces continuation; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: logical connector.
  2. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Israel”; Notes: refers to Jacob.
  3. pater — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: apposition to Israel; Translation: “father”; Notes: relational title.
  4. eorum — Lemma: is/ea/id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive plural; Function: possession; Translation: “their”; Notes: modifies pater.
  5. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “said”; Notes: main narrative action.
  6. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: “to”; Notes: directional.
  7. eos — Lemma: is/ea/id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “them”; Notes: Israel’s sons.
  8. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: conditional; Function: introduces protasis; Translation: “if”; Notes: simple condition.
  9. sic — Lemma: sic; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: adverbial; Function: modifies necesse est; Translation: “so”; Notes: indicates manner.
  10. necesse — Lemma: necesse; Part of Speech: indeclinable adjective; Form: neuter; Function: predicate with est; Translation: “necessary”; Notes: impersonal expression.
  11. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: copula; Translation: “is”; Notes: impersonal construction.
  12. facite — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative present active 2nd plural; Function: command; Translation: “do”; Notes: instruction to the sons.
  13. quod — Lemma: qui/quae/quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of facite; Translation: “that which”; Notes: introduces relative clause.
  14. vultis — Lemma: volo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 2nd plural; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: “you wish”; Notes: expresses volition.
  15. sumite — Lemma: sumo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative present active 2nd plural; Function: second command; Translation: “take”; Notes: begins procedural instruction.
  16. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: partitive; Translation: “from”; Notes: source.
  17. optimis — Lemma: optimus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: modifies fructibus; Translation: “best”; Notes: superlative.
  18. terræ — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: possession; Translation: “of the land”; Notes: genitive dependent.
  19. fructibus — Lemma: fructus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of de; Translation: “fruits”; Notes: agricultural produce.
  20. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative; Translation: “in”; Notes: stable location.
  21. vasis — Lemma: vas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: “vessels”; Notes: containers used for carrying.
  22. vestris — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: modifies vasis; Translation: “your”; Notes: second-person plural possession.
  23. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links commands; Translation: “and”; Notes: additive.
  24. deferte — Lemma: defero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative present active 2nd plural; Function: command; Translation: “carry”; Notes: verb of movement.
  25. viro — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to the man”; Notes: refers to Joseph.
  26. munera — Lemma: munus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: “gifts”; Notes: diplomatic offering.
  27. modicum — Lemma: modicus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: head noun governing genitives; Translation: “a little”; Notes: partitive construction.
  28. resinæ — Lemma: resina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: “of resin”; Notes: valued aromatic.
  29. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links genitives; Translation: “and”; Notes: additive.
  30. melis — Lemma: mel; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: “of honey”; Notes: prized food.
  31. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connective; Translation: “and”; Notes: joins list.
  32. storacis — Lemma: storax; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: “of storax”; Notes: aromatic resin.
  33. stactes — Lemma: stacte; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: “of myrrh-drops”; Notes: precious resin droplets.
  34. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connective; Translation: “and”; Notes: additive list continuation.
  35. terebinthi — Lemma: terebinthus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: “of terebinth-nuts”; Notes: edible/pungent nuts.
  36. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links final item; Translation: “and”; Notes: simple connector.
  37. amygdalarum — Lemma: amygdala; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: “of almonds”; Notes: valuable trade good.

 

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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