Genesis 34:31

Posted on February 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 34:31 Responderunt: Numquid ut scorto abuti debuere sorore nostra?

They answered: “Should they have treated our sister as a prostitute?”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Responderunt they answered 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Numquid surely not / should INTERROG.PART
3 ut as / like CONJ
4 scorto a prostitute NOUN.ABL.SG.N
5 abuti to abuse / misuse INF.PRES.DEP
6 debuere should they have 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND (APOCOPE of debuerunt)
7 sorore sister NOUN.ABL.SG.F
8 nostra our ADJ.ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Responderunt — main narrative verb (“they answered”).
Direct Question: Numquid ut scorto abuti debuere sorore nostra? — rhetorical question expressing moral outrage.

  • Numquid introduces a rhetorical question expecting a negative answer (“Should they have…?”).
  • ut scorto — comparative phrase (“as with a prostitute”).
  • abuti — complementary infinitive dependent on debuere (“ought they to have abused”).
  • sorore nostra — ablative of respect or instrument, governed by abuti (“with our sister”).

Morphology

  1. Responderunt — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect indicative active, 3rd person plural; Function: Main verb of the sentence; Translation: “they answered”; Notes: Refers to Simeon and Levi replying to Jacob’s rebuke.
  2. Numquid — Lemma: numquid; Part of Speech: Interrogative particle; Form: N/A; Function: Introduces a rhetorical question expecting “no”; Translation: “should”; Notes: Adds incredulity and emphasis to their defense.
  3. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: N/A; Function: Introduces comparison; Translation: “as”; Notes: Here expresses manner or likeness (“as with a prostitute”).
  4. scorto — Lemma: scortum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter; Function: Object of comparison; Translation: “a prostitute”; Notes: From vulgar Latin for “harlot”; used contemptuously.
  5. abuti — Lemma: abutor; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent); Form: Present infinitive; Function: Complementary infinitive of debuere; Translation: “to abuse”; Notes: Deponent verb meaning “to misuse” or “to violate.”
  6. debuere — Lemma: debeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect indicative active, 3rd person plural (contracted from debuerunt); Function: Main verb of the question; Translation: “should they have”; Notes: Expresses moral obligation or reproach.
  7. sorore — Lemma: soror; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine; Function: Object of abuti; Translation: “sister”; Notes: Ablative governed by deponent verb “to use/abuse.”
  8. nostra — Lemma: noster; Part of Speech: Adjective (possessive); Form: Ablative singular feminine; Function: Modifies sorore; Translation: “our”; Notes: Refers to Dinah, emphasizing familial honor and solidarity.

 

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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