Genesis 49:15

Posted on February 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 49:15 Vidit requiem quod esset bona: et terram quod optima: et supposuit humerum suum ad portandum, factusque est tributis serviens.

He saw rest, that it was good, and the land, that it was excellent; and he put his shoulder to bear, and became one serving under tribute.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vidit he saw V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 requiem rest N.FEM.ACC.SG
3 quod that CONJ.SUBORD
4 esset it was V.3SG.IMP.SBJV.ACT
5 bona good ADJ.NOM.SG.FEM
6 et and CONJ.COORD
7 terram land N.FEM.ACC.SG
8 quod that CONJ.SUBORD
9 optima excellent ADJ.NOM.SG.FEM
10 et and CONJ.COORD
11 supposuit he put under V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
12 humerum shoulder N.MASC.ACC.SG
13 suum his POSS.ADJ.ACC.SG.M
14 ad to / for PREP+ACC
15 portandum for carrying GERUND.ACC
16 factusque and he became V.PPP.NOM.SG.M + ENCLITIC -QUE
17 est was V.3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
18 tributis to tributes N.NEUT.DAT.PL
19 serviens serving PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Main narrative structure: Vidit requiem … et terram … introduces two direct-object clauses.
Each object (requiem, terram) is followed by a subordinate clause: quod esset bona and quod optima.

Causal-subordinate function: The two quod clauses explain Issachar’s motivation for action.

Action clause: supposuit humerum suum ad portandum expresses voluntary submission.
ad portandum introduces purpose with a gerund: “to carry.”

Resulting state: factusque est tributis serviens describes Issachar’s transformed condition.
serviens is a participle modifying the subject, with tributis in the dative indicating the entity he serves.

Morphology

  1. Vidit — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he saw; Notes: introduces perception of two objects.
  2. requiem — Lemma: requies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of vidit; Translation: rest; Notes: metaphorical for peace or land.
  3. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: subordinating conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: introduces subordinate clause; Translation: that; Notes: not a pronoun here.
  4. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular imperfect subjunctive; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: was; Notes: subjunctive for reported perception.
  5. bona — Lemma: bonus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate adjective referring to requies; Translation: good; Notes: equational clause.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: connects parallel objects; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  7. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: second direct object; Translation: land; Notes: linked to second quod-clause.
  8. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: introduces subordinate clause; Translation: that; Notes: same use as earlier.
  9. optima — Lemma: optimus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate adjective referring to terram; Translation: excellent; Notes: superlative quality.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: links perception with action; Translation: and; Notes: transition.
  11. supposuit — Lemma: suppono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of action; Translation: he put under; Notes: idiomatically “he bent.”
  12. humerum — Lemma: humerus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of supposuit; Translation: shoulder; Notes: symbol of labor.
  13. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies humerum; Translation: his; Notes: reflexive possession.
  14. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: purpose marker; Translation: to / for; Notes: standard with gerund.
  15. portandum — Lemma: porto; Part of Speech: gerund; Form: accusative singular; Function: expresses purpose; Translation: for carrying; Notes: verbal noun form.
  16. factusque — Lemma: fio; Part of Speech: verb (passive of facio); Form: perfect passive participle nominative singular masculine + enclitic -que; Function: predicate participle; Translation: and having become; Notes: continues narrative.
  17. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary; Translation: was; Notes: forms perfect passive.
  18. tributis — Lemma: tributum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural neuter; Function: indirect object; Translation: to tributes; Notes: indicates authority served.
  19. serviens — Lemma: servio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies subject; Translation: serving; Notes: describes Issachar’s subjection.

 

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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