Genesis 30:11

Posted on January 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

11 dixit: Feliciter. et idcirco vocavit nomen eius, Gad.

she said: “Fortunate!” Therefore she called his name Gad.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 dixit she said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Feliciter fortunately ADV
3 et and CONJ
4 idcirco therefore ADV
5 vocavit she called 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 nomen name ACC.SG.N
7 eius his GEN.SG.M.PRON
8 Gad Gad ACC.SG.M.PROPN

Syntax

Main Clause 1: dixit: Feliciter — The verb dixit (“she said”) introduces direct speech. The adverb Feliciter (“Fortunate!”) expresses joy or gratitude, functioning as an exclamation that marks emotional response to childbirth.
Main Clause 2: et idcirco vocavit nomen eius Gad — The adverb idcirco (“therefore”) introduces a logical consequence. The verb vocavit governs a double accusative construction (nomen + Gad), with eius as a possessive genitive (“his name”). The conjunction et links this naming action to the preceding declaration.

Morphology

  1. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: introduces direct speech; Translation: “she said”; Notes: Subject implied (Zelpha or Leah) from context of preceding verse.
  2. Feliciter — Lemma: feliciter; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: expresses exclamation of joy; Translation: “Fortunate!”; Notes: Derives from felix, meaning “happy” or “fortunate.”
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: links two main clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects emotional statement to subsequent naming.
  4. idcirco — Lemma: idcirco; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces result or cause; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Indicates logical relationship between gratitude and naming.
  5. vocavit — Lemma: voco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of naming clause; Translation: “she called”; Notes: Common biblical naming verb.
  6. nomen — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: first accusative in double accusative construction; Translation: “name”; Notes: Object of vocavit.
  7. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive modifier; Translation: “his”; Notes: Refers to the newborn son.
  8. Gad — Lemma: Gad; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: predicate accusative of vocavit; Translation: “Gad”; Notes: Hebrew for “fortune” or “good luck,” reflecting the exclamation Feliciter.

 

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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