Genesis 31:55

Posted on January 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 31:55 Laban vero de nocte consurgens, osculatus est filios, et filias suas, et benedixit illis: reversusque est in locum suum.

But Laban, rising in the night, kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them, and returned to his place.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Laban Laban PROPER NOUN NOM.SG.M
2 vero but / indeed ADVERB / PARTICLE
3 de from / at PREPOSITION + ABL
4 nocte night NOUN ABL.SG.F
5 consurgens rising PRESENT ACTIVE PARTICIPLE NOM.SG.M
6 osculatus having kissed PERFECT ACTIVE PARTICIPLE NOM.SG.M (DEPONENT)
7 est he was / he did VERB 3SG PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVE (AUXILIARY)
8 filios sons NOUN ACC.PL.M
9 et and CONJUNCTION
10 filias daughters NOUN ACC.PL.F
11 suas his POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE ACC.PL.F
12 et and CONJUNCTION
13 benedixit he blessed VERB 3SG PERFECT ACTIVE INDICATIVE
14 illis them PRONOUN DAT.PL.M/F
15 reversusque and having returned PERFECT ACTIVE PARTICIPLE NOM.SG.M + ENCLITIC -QUE
16 est he was / he did VERB 3SG PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVE (AUXILIARY)
17 in into / to PREPOSITION + ACC
18 locum place NOUN ACC.SG.M
19 suum his own POSSESSIVE ADJECTIVE ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Subject: Laban vero — the adverbial particle vero introduces contrast (“but Laban”), marking transition to the final covenant scene.
Participial Phrase: de nocte consurgens — ablative of time (de nocte, “at night”) and participle consurgens (“rising”) denote temporal and circumstantial context.
Main Action: osculatus est filios et filias suas — perfect deponent form; osculatus est literally means “he kissed,” taking double direct objects (filios and filias suas).
Coordinate Action: et benedixit illis — independent perfect verb connected by et, continuing the sequence.
Final Clause: reversusque est in locum suum — perfect participle reversus with auxiliary est expresses completion (“and he returned to his place”).
Syntax Summary: The verse’s chain of perfects creates a calm narrative close: rising → blessing → returning. The repetition of est underscores the sequential and complete nature of each action, concluding the episode with reconciled departure.

Morphology

  1. Laban — Lemma: Laban; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of all main verbs; Translation: “Laban”; Notes: Patriarchal figure completing covenant farewell.
  2. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: adverb / particle; Form: invariable; Function: contrastive particle; Translation: “but / indeed”; Notes: Signals transition to closing scene.
  3. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: temporal expression; Translation: “at / from”; Notes: Used idiomatically with time expressions like “de nocte.”
  4. nocte — Lemma: nox; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of “de”; Translation: “night”; Notes: Indicates time of action.
  5. consurgens — Lemma: consurgo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: circumstantial participle modifying “Laban”; Translation: “rising”; Notes: Temporal subordinate action preceding main verbs.
  6. osculatus — Lemma: osculor; Part of Speech: participle (deponent); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect active participle; Function: main predicate with auxiliary “est”; Translation: “having kissed”; Notes: Deponent verb expressing affectionate farewell.
  7. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary of deponent perfect; Translation: “he did / he was”; Notes: Forms compound perfect tense with participle.
  8. filios — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “osculatus est”; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Likely refers to grandchildren or male descendants.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates direct objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins “filios” and “filias.”
  10. filias — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: coordinated object; Translation: “daughters”; Notes: Refers to Leah and Rachel.
  11. suas — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: possessive modifying “filias”; Translation: “his”; Notes: Reflexive possessive referring to Laban.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links second action “benedixit.”
  13. benedixit — Lemma: benedico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “he blessed”; Notes: Expresses concluding act of affection and goodwill.
  14. illis — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural masculine/feminine; Function: indirect object of “benedixit”; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to both sons and daughters.
  15. reversusque — Lemma: revertor; Part of Speech: participle (deponent) + enclitic; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect active participle + -que; Function: connects final action; Translation: “and having returned”; Notes: Signals conclusion of episode.
  16. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary of deponent perfect; Translation: “he did / he was”; Notes: Forms compound perfect with “reversus.”
  17. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses motion toward; Translation: “into / to”; Notes: Indicates direction of return.
  18. locum — Lemma: locus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of “in”; Translation: “place”; Notes: Denotes homeland or original dwelling.
  19. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies “locum”; Translation: “his own”; Notes: Possessive emphasizing return to his domain.

 

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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