Genesis 49:20

Posted on February 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 49:20 Aser, pinguis panis eius, et præbebit delicias regibus.

Aser, his bread is rich, and he will provide delights for kings.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Aser Asher PN.NOM.SG.M
2 pinguis rich / fat ADJ.NOM.SG.M
3 panis bread N.MASC.NOM.SG
4 eius his PRON.GEN.SG
5 et and CONJ.COORD
6 præbebit he will provide V.3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
7 delicias delicacies N.FEM.ACC.PL
8 regibus to kings N.MASC.DAT.PL

Syntax

Nominative phrase: Aser, pinguis panis eius presents Aser as the subject, followed by a descriptive nominal clause.
pinguis modifies panis eius, meaning “his bread is rich.”

Coordinated future clause: et præbebit delicias regibus — præbebit is the future verb;
delicias is the direct object; regibus is the indirect object (“to kings”).

Morphology

  1. Aser — Lemma: Aser; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Asher; Notes: patriarch of the tribe of Asher.
  2. pinguis — Lemma: pinguis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies panis; Translation: rich / fat; Notes: may connote abundance or luxury.
  3. panis — Lemma: panis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate noun; Translation: bread; Notes: symbolizes produce or livelihood.
  4. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: possessive genitive modifying panis; Translation: his; Notes: refers to Asher.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: coordinates clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple additive connector.
  6. præbebit — Lemma: præbeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he will provide; Notes: expresses Asher’s future prosperity.
  7. delicias — Lemma: deliciae; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of præbebit; Translation: delicacies; Notes: implies luxury goods.
  8. regibus — Lemma: rex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to kings; Notes: suggests high prestige.

 

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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