Genesis 50:17

Posted on February 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 50:17 ut hæc tibi verbis illius diceremus: Obsecro ut obliviscaris sceleris fratrum tuorum, et peccati atque malitiæ quam exercuerunt in te: nos quoque oramus ut servis Dei patris tui dimittas iniquitatem hanc. Quibus auditis flevit Ioseph.

that we might say these things to you in his words: ‘I beg you to forget the crime of your brothers, and the sin and wickedness which they committed against you; we also pray that you may forgive this iniquity of the servants of the God of your father.’” When these things were heard, Joseph wept.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ut that CONJ.SUBORD
2 hæc these things PRON.NEUT.ACC.PL
3 tibi to you PRON.DAT.SG
4 verbis with the words N.NEUT.ABL.PL
5 illius of him PRON.GEN.SG
6 diceremus we might say V.1PL.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
7 Obsecro I beg V.1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
8 ut that CONJ.SUBORD
9 obliviscaris you forget V.2SG.PRES.SUBJ.DEP
10 sceleris of the crime N.NEUT.GEN.SG
11 fratrum of your brothers N.MASC.GEN.PL
12 tuorum your ADJ.GEN.PL.M
13 et and CONJ.COORD
14 peccati of the sin N.NEUT.GEN.SG
15 atque and also CONJ.COORD
16 malitiæ of the wickedness N.FEM.GEN.SG
17 quam which REL.PRON.ACC.SG.F
18 exercuerunt they committed V.3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
19 in against PREP+ACC
20 te you PRON.ACC.SG
21 nos we PRON.NOM.PL
22 quoque also ADV
23 oramus we pray V.1PL.PRES.ACT.IND
24 ut that CONJ.SUBORD
25 servis to the servants N.MASC.DAT.PL
26 Dei of the God N.MASC.GEN.SG
27 patris of the father N.MASC.GEN.SG
28 tui your PRON.GEN.SG
29 dimittas you may forgive V.2SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
30 iniquitatem the iniquity N.FEM.ACC.SG
31 hanc this ADJ.ACC.SG.F
32 Quibus when these things PRON.ABL.PL
33 auditis having been heard PPP.ABL.PL.N
34 flevit he wept V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
35 Ioseph Joseph N.MASC.NOM.SG

Syntax

Purpose clause: ut hæc tibi verbis illius diceremus —
ut + subjunctive expresses intended purpose: “that we might say.”
hæc = object of diceremus.
tibi = indirect object.
verbis illius = ablative of means (“with his words”).

Direct petition: Obsecro ut obliviscaris… —
Obsecro introduces plea.
ut + subjunctive (obliviscaris) expresses desired action.

Genitives of crime: sceleris… peccati… malitiæ —
All governed by obliviscaris (deponent taking genitive).

Relative clause: quam exercuerunt in te —
quam refers back to malitiam.
exercuerunt = main verb.

Second petition: nos quoque oramus ut… dimittas —
servis Dei patris tui = datives of advantage.
iniquitatem hanc = object of dimittas.

Ablative absolute: Quibus auditis —
“when these things had been heard.”
Joseph becomes subject of flevit.

Morphology

  1. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  2. hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of diceremus; Translation: these things; Notes: refers to message conveyed.
  3. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: to you; Notes: addressed to Joseph.
  4. verbis — Lemma: verbum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: ablative of means; Translation: with the words; Notes: indicates linguistic instrument.
  5. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: possession; Translation: of him; Notes: refers to Jacob.
  6. diceremus — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st plural imperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: we might say; Notes: required by ut.
  7. Obsecro — Lemma: obsecro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st singular present active indicative; Function: introduces plea; Translation: I beg; Notes: strong entreaty.
  8. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: introduces requested action; Translation: that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  9. obliviscaris — Lemma: obliviscor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: 2nd singular present subjunctive; Function: verb of petition; Translation: you may forget; Notes: takes genitive.
  10. sceleris — Lemma: scelus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: dependent on obliviscaris; Translation: of the crime; Notes: refers to betrayal.
  11. fratrum — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possession; Translation: of (your) brothers; Notes: Joseph’s brothers.
  12. tuorum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies fratrum; Translation: your; Notes: 2nd-person reference.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates peccati with sceleris.
  14. peccati — Lemma: peccatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the sin; Notes: parallels sceleris.
  15. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: stronger coordination; Translation: and also; Notes: reinforces malitiæ.
  16. malitiæ — Lemma: malitia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the wickedness; Notes: moral evil.
  17. quam — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of exercuerunt; Translation: which; Notes: refers to malitiam.
  18. exercuerunt — Lemma: exerceo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd plural perfect active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: they committed; Notes: hostile wrongdoing.
  19. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses direction against; Translation: against; Notes: hostile nuance.
  20. te — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: object of in; Translation: you; Notes: refers to Joseph.
  21. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative plural; Function: subject of oramus; Translation: we; Notes: Joseph’s brothers.
  22. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: adds emphasis; Translation: also; Notes: “we ALSO pray.”
  23. oramus — Lemma: oro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st plural present active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: we pray; Notes: introduces second petition.
  24. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: introduces petition clause; Translation: that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  25. servis — Lemma: servus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the servants; Notes: Joseph’s brothers styling themselves humbly.
  26. Dei — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of the God; Notes: reverential reference.
  27. patris — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the father; Notes: continues lineage reference.
  28. tui — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive singular; Function: modifies patris; Translation: your; Notes: addressed to Joseph.
  29. dimittas — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd singular present subjunctive active; Function: verb of petition; Translation: you may forgive; Notes: governed by ut.
  30. iniquitatem — Lemma: iniquitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: the iniquity; Notes: refers to wrongdoing.
  31. hanc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies iniquitatem; Translation: this; Notes: emphatic.
  32. Quibus — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative plural; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: when these things; Notes: refers to whole message.
  33. auditis — Lemma: audio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle ablative plural; Function: with Quibus forms ablative absolute; Translation: having been heard; Notes: temporal marker.
  34. flevit — Lemma: fleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he wept; Notes: Joseph’s emotional reaction.
  35. Ioseph — Lemma: Ioseph; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of flevit; Translation: Joseph; Notes: proper name.

 

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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