Genesis 48:16

Posted on February 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 48:16 Angelus, qui eruit me de cunctis malis, benedicat pueris istis: et invocetur super eos nomen meum, nomina quoque patrum meorum Abraham, et Isaac, et crescant in multitudinem super terram.

the Angel who delivered me from all evils, may he bless these boys, and may my name be invoked upon them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Angelus the Angel N.NOM.SG.M
2 qui who REL.PRON.NOM.SG.M
3 eruit delivered V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 me me PRON.ACC.SG.1
5 de from PREP+ABL
6 cunctis all ADJ.ABL.PL.N/F
7 malis evils N.ABL.PL.N
8 benedicat may he bless V.3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 pueris boys N.DAT.PL.M
10 istis these DEM.ADJ.DAT.PL.M
11 et and CONJ.COORD
12 invocetur may be invoked V.3SG.PRES.PASS.SUBJ
13 super upon PREP+ACC
14 eos them PRON.ACC.PL.M
15 nomen name N.NEUT.NOM.SG
16 meum my POSS.ADJ.NEUT.NOM.SG
17 nomina names N.NEUT.NOM.PL
18 quoque also ADV
19 patrum of the fathers N.MASC.GEN.PL
20 meorum my POSS.ADJ.MASC.GEN.PL
21 Abraham Abraham PN.NOM.SG.M
22 et and CONJ.COORD
23 Isaac Isaac PN.NOM.SG.M
24 et and CONJ.COORD
25 crescant may they grow V.3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
26 in into PREP+ACC
27 multitudinem multitude N.ACC.SG.F
28 super upon PREP+ACC
29 terram earth N.ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main subject: Angelus stands as the nominative subject of the entire blessing formula.

Relative clause: qui eruit me de cunctis malis defines the Angel as the one who delivered Jacob from all evils.
The verb eruit governs the object me and the ablative phrase de cunctis malis.

Optative subjunctive: benedicat pueris istis expresses the blessing-wish.
The verb benedicat takes pueris istis as its dative indirect object.

Second optative: invocetur super eos nomen meum contains a passive subjunctive expressing a desire that Jacob’s name be “called upon” them.

Appositional expansion: nomina quoque patrum meorum Abraham et Isaac expands the preceding noun by including patriarchal names.

Final optative clause: et crescant in multitudinem super terram expresses the wish that the boys multiply greatly upon the earth.

Morphology

  1. Angelus — Lemma: angelus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: the Angel; Notes: refers to the divine messenger associated with Jacob’s deliverance.
  2. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: who; Notes: agrees with Angelus.
  3. eruit — Lemma: eruo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of relative clause; Translation: delivered; Notes: perfect tense indicates completed past action.
  4. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: direct object; Translation: me; Notes: refers to Jacob.
  5. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: marks source; Translation: from; Notes: used with abstract nouns.
  6. cunctis — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural; Function: modifies malis; Translation: all; Notes: intensive form meaning “the whole of.”
  7. malis — Lemma: malum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: object of de; Translation: evils; Notes: refers to dangers or harms.
  8. benedicat — Lemma: benedico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active subjunctive; Function: optative expressing wish; Translation: may he bless; Notes: expresses a blessing formula.
  9. pueris — Lemma: puer; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the boys; Notes: refers to Ephraim and Manasseh.
  10. istis — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: demonstrative adjective; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: modifies pueris; Translation: these; Notes: shows immediacy of the boys’ presence.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: connective; Translation: and; Notes: joins clauses.
  12. invocetur — Lemma: invoco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present passive subjunctive; Function: optative passive; Translation: may it be invoked; Notes: expresses a wish for the divine naming.
  13. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: marks spatial relation; Translation: upon; Notes: figurative blessing language.
  14. eos — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of super; Translation: them; Notes: the boys.
  15. nomen — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of invocetur; Translation: name; Notes: refers to Jacob’s own name.
  16. meum — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: modifies nomen; Translation: my; Notes: implies transfer of legacy.
  17. nomina — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: additional subject with nomen; Translation: names; Notes: parallel element.
  18. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: adds emphasis; Translation: also; Notes: includes patriarchal names.
  19. patrum — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the fathers; Notes: refers to Abraham and Isaac.
  20. meorum — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies patrum; Translation: my; Notes: personal lineage.
  21. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: apposition; Translation: Abraham; Notes: first patriarch cited.
  22. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: connects patriarchs; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordinator.
  23. Isaac — Lemma: Isaac; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: apposition; Translation: Isaac; Notes: second patriarch.
  24. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: connects final clause; Translation: and; Notes: links final wish.
  25. crescant — Lemma: cresco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active subjunctive; Function: optative; Translation: may they grow; Notes: expresses hope for multiplication.
  26. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces result phrase; Translation: into; Notes: expresses transformation.
  27. multitudinem — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: multitude; Notes: describes numerical increase.
  28. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial marker; Translation: upon; Notes: indicates geographic spread.
  29. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: earth; Notes: common biblical idiom for global growth.

 

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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