Genesis 37:11

Posted on February 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 37:11 Invidebant ei igitur fratres sui: pater vero rem tacitus considerabat.

Therefore his brothers envied him, but his father silently considered the matter.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Invidebant they envied V.3PL.IMPF.ACT.IND
2 ei him PRON.PERS.DAT.SG.M
3 igitur therefore CONJ
4 fratres brothers NOUN.NOM.PL.M
5 sui his own PRON.POSS.NOM.PL.M
6 pater father NOUN.NOM.SG.M
7 vero but ADV.CONTRAST
8 rem matter NOUN.ACC.SG.F
9 tacitus silent ADJ.NOM.SG.M
10 considerabat he was considering V.3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Invidebant ei igitur fratres sui —
The subject fratres sui acts upon the dative pronoun ei (“to him”). The verb Invidebant (imperfect) indicates continuous or habitual envy. The conjunction igitur draws a logical conclusion from the preceding verses.

Main Clause 2: pater vero rem tacitus considerabat —
Contrasting clause introduced by vero (“but”). The nominative subject pater governs considerabat, with rem as the direct object and tacitus as a predicative adjective modifying pater.

Morphology

  1. Invidebant — Lemma: invideō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: “they envied”; Notes: Imperfect expresses an ongoing feeling of envy among the brothers.
  2. ei — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of Invidebant; Translation: “him.”
  3. igitur — Lemma: igitur; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects with previous narrative; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Marks consequence of Joseph’s dreams and favor.
  4. fratres — Lemma: frāter; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of Invidebant; Translation: “brothers.”
  5. sui — Lemma: suus, -a, -um; Part of Speech: reflexive possessive adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies fratres; Translation: “his own”; Notes: Indicates possessive relation to Joseph.
  6. pater — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of considerabat; Translation: “father.”
  7. vero — Lemma: vēro; Part of Speech: adverb/conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Contrasts the father’s reflective attitude with the brothers’ envy.
  8. rem — Lemma: rēs; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of considerabat; Translation: “the matter / thing.”
  9. tacitus — Lemma: tacitus, -a, -um; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective modifying pater; Translation: “silent”; Notes: Expresses Jacob’s reserved contemplation rather than outward reaction.
  10. considerabat — Lemma: considerō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: “was considering”; Notes: Imperfect emphasizes continuous reflection or meditation.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Genesis. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.