Genesis 29:23

Posted on January 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

gn 29:23 Et vespere Liam filiam suam introduxit ad eum,

And in the evening he brought in Lia his daughter to him,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 vespere in the evening ABL.SG.N
3 Liam Leah ACC.SG.F.PROPN
4 filiam daughter ACC.SG.F
5 suam his ACC.SG.F.POSS.ADJ
6 introduxit he brought in 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
7 ad to PREP+ACC
8 eum him ACC.SG.M.PRON

Syntax

Temporal Phrase: Et vespere — Ablative of time when, specifying the time of the action (“in the evening”). The conjunction Et links the action to the preceding narrative.
Main Clause: Liam filiam suam introduxit ad eum — The verb introduxit (“he brought in”) takes a double accusative construction: Liam filiam suam (“his daughter Leah”) as the object, and ad eum as the goal or recipient of the action (“to him”). The subject, understood from context, is Laban.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: connects the clause with previous narrative; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces a sequential event.
  2. vespere — Lemma: vesper; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: “in the evening”; Notes: Indicates the time the event occurred.
  3. Liam — Lemma: Lia; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of introduxit; Translation: “Leah”; Notes: The woman presented by Laban to Jacob.
  4. filiam — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: apposition to Liam; Translation: “daughter”; Notes: Clarifies familial relation to Laban.
  5. suam — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: adjective (possessive); Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies filiam; Translation: “his”; Notes: Indicates possession, referring to Laban.
  6. introduxit — Lemma: introduco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “he brought in”; Notes: Describes the pivotal action of deception in the narrative.
  7. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates direction or recipient; Translation: “to”; Notes: Introduces goal of motion.
  8. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Jacob, the recipient of Leah.

 

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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