Genesis 49:21

Posted on February 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 49:21 Nephthali, cervus emissus, et dans eloquia pulchritudinis.

Nephtali is a deer let loose, and he gives words of beauty.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nephthali Naphtali PN.NOM.SG.M
2 cervus deer N.MASC.NOM.SG
3 emissus sent out / let loose PPP.NOM.SG.M
4 et and CONJ.COORD
5 dans giving PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.SG.M
6 eloquia words / sayings N.NEUT.ACC.PL
7 pulchritudinis of beauty N.FEM.GEN.SG

Syntax

Nominal clause: Nephthali, cervus emissus — Nephthali is the subject.
cervus emissus is a predicate nominative phrase describing him as “a deer let loose,” using the perfect passive participle emissus.

Coordinated participial clause: et dans eloquia pulchritudinis — dans modifies Nephthali, expressing ongoing action (“giving”).
eloquia is the direct object; pulchritudinis is a descriptive genitive (“of beauty”).

Morphology

  1. Nephthali — Lemma: Nephthali; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Naphtali; Notes: patriarch of the tribe of Naphtali.
  2. cervus — Lemma: cervus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: deer; Notes: symbol of agility and freedom.
  3. emissus — Lemma: emitto; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies cervus; Translation: sent out / let loose; Notes: suggests release or swift movement.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: connects clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  5. dans — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative singular masculine; Function: describes Nephthali; Translation: giving; Notes: expresses ongoing action.
  6. eloquia — Lemma: eloquium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of dans; Translation: words / sayings; Notes: often denotes refined or inspired speech.
  7. pulchritudinis — Lemma: pulchritudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: descriptive genitive; Translation: of beauty; Notes: characterizes the eloquia as beautiful.

 

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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