Genesis 37:19

Posted on February 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 37:19 et mutuo loquebantur: Ecce somniator venit:

and they spoke to one another: “Behold, the dreamer comes!

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 mutuo to one another ADV
3 loquebantur they were speaking V.3PL.IMPF.DEP.IND
4 Ecce behold INTERJ
5 somniator dreamer NOUN.NOM.SG.M
6 venit comes V.3SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: coordinating conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links this clause to the previous narrative; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple connective continuing the story’s sequence of actions.
  2. mutuo — Lemma: mūtuō; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies loquebantur; Translation: “to one another / reciprocally”; Notes: Describes reciprocal verbal exchange between the brothers; literally “mutually.”
  3. loquebantur — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect indicative deponent; Function: main verb of the narrative clause; Translation: “they were speaking”; Notes: Deponent verb with active meaning; imperfect tense describes continuous or repeated action in past time.
  4. Ecce — Lemma: ecce; Part of Speech: interjection/demonstrative particle; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces vivid direct speech or exclamation; Translation: “behold!”; Notes: Common Biblical Latin exclamation drawing attention to a sight or event; conveys immediacy and irony here.
  5. somniator — Lemma: somniātor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of venit; Translation: “dreamer”; Notes: Pejorative epithet mocking Joseph’s prophetic dreams; nominative used in exclamatory tone.
  6. venit — Lemma: veniō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present indicative active; Function: main verb of direct exclamation; Translation: “comes”; Notes: Present tense for dramatic vividness, showing the brothers’ reaction as they see Joseph approaching.

 

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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