Genesis 30:30

Posted on January 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 30:30 Modicum habuisti antequam venirem ad te, et nunc dives effectus es: benedixitque tibi Dominus ad introitum meum. iustum est igitur ut aliquando provideam etiam domui meæ.

You had little before I came to you, and now you have become rich; and the LORD has blessed you at my coming. It is just, therefore, that I should also provide for my own household at some time.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Modicum little ACC.SG.N
2 habuisti you had 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 antequam before CONJ
4 venirem I came 1SG.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
5 ad to PREP + ACC
6 te you ACC.SG.2P.PRON
7 et and CONJ
8 nunc now ADV
9 dives rich NOM.SG.M.ADJ
10 effectus become NOM.SG.M.PERF.PASS.PART
11 es are 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
12 benedixitque and blessed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + CONJ
13 tibi you DAT.SG.2P.PRON
14 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
15 ad at / upon PREP + ACC
16 introitum entrance ACC.SG.M
17 meum my ACC.SG.M.POSS.ADJ
18 iustum just NOM.SG.N.ADJ
19 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
20 igitur therefore ADV
21 ut that CONJ
22 aliquando at some time ADV
23 provideam I may provide 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
24 etiam also ADV
25 domui household DAT.SG.F
26 meæ my DAT.SG.F.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Modicum habuisti antequam venirem ad te — The direct object Modicum (“little”) precedes the verb habuisti (“you had”). The temporal clause antequam venirem ad te introduces the time prior to Jacob’s arrival.
Main Clause 2: et nunc dives effectus es — A compound predicate with effectus es (“you have become”) linking dives (“rich”).
Main Clause 3: benedixitque tibi Dominus ad introitum meum — Dominus (“the LORD”) is the subject; benedixit is the verb, and tibi (“to you”) is the indirect object, with ad introitum meum (“at my coming”) marking circumstance.
Final Clause: iustum est igitur ut aliquando provideam etiam domui meæ — The impersonal predicate iustum est (“it is just”) governs a noun clause introduced by ut expressing obligation: “that I should also provide for my own household.”

Morphology

  1. Modicum — Lemma: modicus; Part of Speech: adjective (used substantively); Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of habuisti; Translation: “little”; Notes: Refers to Laban’s limited wealth before Jacob’s arrival.
  2. habuisti — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 2nd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “you had”; Notes: Expresses completed possession before Jacob’s service.
  3. antequam — Lemma: antequam; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: “before”; Notes: Common with subjunctive in dependent temporal clauses.
  4. venirem — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive 1st singular; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: “I came”; Notes: Subjunctive used due to temporal subordination with antequam.
  5. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates direction; Translation: “to”; Notes: Used here with personal pronoun te.
  6. te — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: object of ad; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins the next statement about increased prosperity.
  8. nunc — Lemma: nunc; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: temporal modifier; Translation: “now”; Notes: Marks contrast between former and present condition.
  9. dives — Lemma: dives; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “rich”; Notes: Describes Laban’s new condition due to Jacob’s work.
  10. effectus — Lemma: efficio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect passive participle; Function: complements es as part of a periphrastic verb; Translation: “become”; Notes: Indicates the resulting state of wealth.
  11. es — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 2nd singular; Function: auxiliary verb; Translation: “are”; Notes: Completes periphrasis with effectus.
  12. benedixitque — Lemma: benedico; Part of Speech: verb + conjunction; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of new clause; Translation: “and blessed”; Notes: The -que enclitic connects this with the prior thought.
  13. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Refers to Laban as the recipient of divine favor.
  14. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of benedixit; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, emphasizing divine agency in Laban’s prosperity.
  15. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces phrase of circumstance; Translation: “at / upon”; Notes: Indicates occasion of blessing corresponding with Jacob’s arrival.
  16. introitum — Lemma: introitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “entrance / coming”; Notes: Refers to the event of Jacob’s arrival in Laban’s household.
  17. meum — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective (possessive); Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies introitum; Translation: “my”; Notes: Highlights the personal involvement of Jacob in Laban’s blessing.
  18. iustum — Lemma: iustus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “just”; Notes: Forms the impersonal predicate “it is just” with est.
  19. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: copula; Translation: “is”; Notes: Links iustum with subordinate ut-clause.
  20. igitur — Lemma: igitur; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: connective; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Concludes Jacob’s reasoning logically from prior facts.
  21. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces noun clause expressing propriety; Translation: “that”; Notes: Introduces the idea of obligation following iustum est.
  22. aliquando — Lemma: aliquando; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: temporal modifier; Translation: “at some time”; Notes: Indicates eventual intention or opportunity.
  23. provideam — Lemma: provideo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 1st singular; Function: main verb of ut-clause; Translation: “I may provide”; Notes: Subjunctive expresses moral necessity or intention.
  24. etiam — Lemma: etiam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: intensifier; Translation: “also”; Notes: Adds inclusivity, extending concern beyond Laban to Jacob’s own family.
  25. domui — Lemma: domus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: indirect object of provideam; Translation: “household”; Notes: Refers to Jacob’s own family and dependents.
  26. meæ — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective (possessive); Form: dative singular feminine; Function: modifies domui; Translation: “my”; Notes: Emphasizes Jacob’s rightful concern for his own household’s welfare.

 

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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