Genesis 30:24

Posted on January 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 30:24 Et vocavit nomen eius, Ioseph, dicens: Addat mihi Dominus filium alterum.

And she called his name Joseph, saying: “May the LORD add to me another son.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 vocavit called 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 nomen name ACC.SG.N
4 eius his GEN.SG.M.PRON
5 Ioseph Joseph ACC.SG.M.PROPN
6 dicens saying NOM.SG.F.PRES.ACT.PART
7 Addat may add 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
8 mihi to me DAT.SG.1P.PRON
9 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
10 filium son ACC.SG.M
11 alterum another ACC.SG.M.ADJ

Syntax

Main Clause: Et vocavit nomen eius Ioseph — The conjunction Et links this sentence to the previous verse. The verb vocavit governs the direct object nomen (“name”) with possessive genitive eius (“his”) and the predicate accusative Ioseph (“Joseph”).
Participial Clause: dicens (“saying”) introduces Rachel’s prayer.
Subjunctive Clause: Addat mihi Dominus filium alterum — The subjunctive verb Addat expresses Rachel’s wish that the LORD (“Dominus”) might “add” another son to her.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects this clause to the prior statement; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple additive conjunction joining narrative actions.
  2. vocavit — Lemma: voco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of the clause; Translation: “called”; Notes: Denotes the naming of Rachel’s son, a significant act of recognition.
  3. nomen — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of vocavit; Translation: “name”; Notes: The object through which the identity of the child is declared.
  4. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive genitive modifying nomen; Translation: “his”; Notes: Refers to Rachel’s newborn son, Joseph.
  5. Ioseph — Lemma: Ioseph; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: predicate accusative; Translation: “Joseph”; Notes: Derived from Hebrew *Yosep̄* (“He will add”), corresponding to Rachel’s prayer in the next clause.
  6. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular feminine present active participle; Function: introduces direct speech; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Indicates the accompanying statement explaining the child’s name.
  7. Addat — Lemma: addo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: optative subjunctive expressing desire; Translation: “may add”; Notes: Expresses Rachel’s wish for another child, forming a wordplay on “Ioseph.”
  8. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object of Addat; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Indicates Rachel as the desired recipient of divine favor.
  9. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of Addat; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, the giver of life and blessing.
  10. filium — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of Addat; Translation: “son”; Notes: Expresses the object of Rachel’s desire for another child.
  11. alterum — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies filium; Translation: “another”; Notes: Highlights Rachel’s hope for a second son, anticipating the birth of Benjamin.

 

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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