Genesis 38:26

Posted on February 7, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 38:26 Qui, agnitis muneribus, ait: Iustior me est: quia non tradidi eam Sela filio meo. Attamen ultra non cognovit eam.

He who, having recognized the tokens, said: “She is more righteous than I, because I did not give her to Sela my son.” Nevertheless, he did not know her again.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Qui who PRON.REL.NOM.SG.M
2 agnitis having recognized PART.PERF.PASS.ABL.PL.N
3 muneribus tokens / gifts NOUN.ABL.PL.N
4 ait he said V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 Iustior more righteous ADJ.COMP.NOM.SG.F
6 me than I PRON.PERS.ABL.SG.1
7 est is V.3SG.PRES.IND.ACT
8 quia because CONJ.CAUS
9 non not ADV.NEG
10 tradidi I gave / delivered V.1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 eam her PRON.PERS.ACC.SG.F
12 Sela to Shelah NOUN.DAT.SG.M (proper)
13 filio son NOUN.DAT.SG.M
14 meo my PRON.POSS.DAT.SG.M
15 Attamen nevertheless CONJ.ADV
16 ultra further / again ADV
17 non not ADV.NEG
18 cognovit he knew (had relations with) V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
19 eam her PRON.PERS.ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Relative Clause: Qui, agnitis muneribus — ablative absolute construction with agnitis muneribus (“after the tokens had been recognized”) sets the scene for Judah’s realization. The subject Qui (“who”) refers to Judah.

Main Clause: ait: Iustior me est — direct speech follows; Iustior is a comparative adjective with the ablative of comparison me. The predicate nominative structure means “She is more righteous than I.”

Subordinate Causal Clause: quia non tradidi eam Sela filio meo — expresses Judah’s admission of guilt, introduced by quia (“because”). The dative Sela filio meo marks the intended recipient of the marriage.

Independent Clause: Attamen ultra non cognovit eam — a concessive conclusion: “Nevertheless, he did not know her again.” The verb cognovit here has the idiomatic meaning “to have sexual relations.”

Morphology

  1. Qui — Lemma: quī, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of ait; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to Judah, the one recognizing the pledge.
  2. agnitis — Lemma: agnōscō; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative plural neuter perfect passive; Function: part of ablative absolute with muneribus; Translation: “having recognized”; Notes: Indicates the prior action of identification.
  3. muneribus — Lemma: mūnus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: object in ablative absolute; Translation: “tokens” or “pledges”; Notes: Refers to ring, bracelet, and staff.
  4. ait — Lemma: aiō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active; Function: verb of speaking; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Common narrative formula for speech.
  5. Iustior — Lemma: iustus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine comparative; Function: predicate nominative agreeing with implied “she”; Translation: “more righteous”; Notes: Comparative degree showing moral contrast.
  6. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: ablative singular; Function: ablative of comparison; Translation: “than I”; Notes: Used after a comparative adjective instead of “quam.”
  7. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present indicative active; Function: copula linking subject and predicate; Translation: “is”; Notes: Simple copulative use.
  8. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: “because”; Notes: Explains reason for Judah’s admission.
  9. non — Lemma: nōn; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negation; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates tradidi.
  10. tradidi — Lemma: trādō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular perfect indicative active; Function: main verb of causal clause; Translation: “I gave”; Notes: Refers to Judah’s failure to give Thamar to Sela.
  11. eam — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of tradidi; Translation: “her”; Notes: Refers to Thamar.
  12. Sela — Lemma: Sela; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to Sela”; Notes: Judah’s third son.
  13. filio — Lemma: fīlius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: apposition to Sela; Translation: “son”; Notes: Clarifies relationship.
  14. meo — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: modifies filio; Translation: “my”; Notes: Emphasizes paternal link.
  15. Attamen — Lemma: attamen; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “nevertheless”; Notes: Marks moral restraint after confession.
  16. ultra — Lemma: ultrā; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies cognovit; Translation: “further / again”; Notes: Denotes temporal continuity negated by non.
  17. non — Lemma: nōn; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates cognovit; Translation: “not”; Notes: Expresses continued abstinence.
  18. cognovit — Lemma: cognōscō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: “he knew”; Notes: Euphemism for sexual relations.
  19. eam — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of cognovit; Translation: “her”; Notes: Refers again to Thamar, signifying Judah’s moral restraint thereafter.

 

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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