Genesis 39:23

Posted on February 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 39:23 Nec noverat aliquid, cunctis ei creditis: Dominus enim erat cum illo, et omnia opera eius dirigebat.

And he knew nothing, all things having been entrusted to him: for the LORD was with him, and directed all his works.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nec and not / nor CONJ.NEG
2 noverat knew V.3SG.PLUPERF.IND.ACT
3 aliquid anything PRON.INDEF.ACC.SG.N
4 cunctis all (things) ADJ.ABL.PL.N
5 ei to him PRON.DAT.SG.M
6 creditis having been entrusted V.PERF.PTCP.ABL.PL.N
7 Dominus LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
8 enim for / indeed CONJ.EXPL
9 erat was V.3SG.IMPERF.IND.ACT
10 cum with PREP+ABL
11 illo him PRON.ABL.SG.M
12 et and CONJ
13 omnia all things ADJ.NOM.PL.N
14 opera works / deeds NOUN.NOM.PL.N
15 eius his PRON.GEN.SG.M
16 dirigebat was directing V.3SG.IMPERF.IND.ACT

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Nec noverat aliquid — “And he knew nothing.” The conjunction nec introduces a negative statement continuing from the previous context; noverat is pluperfect, emphasizing complete ignorance due to trust.
Ablative Absolute: cunctis ei creditis — “all things having been entrusted to him.” This construction expresses the reason for the preceding statement, showing total delegation of authority to Joseph.
Main Clause 2: Dominus enim erat cum illo — “For the LORD was with him.” A causal clause explaining Joseph’s success and the warden’s confidence.
Coordinated Clause: et omnia opera eius dirigebat — “and directed all his works.” The subject remains Dominus.
The syntax emphasizes divine oversight and favor — Joseph’s prosperity stems not from chance, but from YHWH’s guidance.

Morphology

  1. Nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: coordinating conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces negative continuation; Translation: “and not / nor”; Notes: Links Joseph’s total ignorance of management details to full trust in him.
  2. noverat — Lemma: nōscō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular pluperfect indicative active; Function: main verb of clause; Translation: “knew”; Notes: Pluperfect conveys a completed state of ignorance (i.e., “he knew nothing at all”).
  3. aliquid — Lemma: aliquis; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of noverat; Translation: “anything”; Notes: Expresses total absence of knowledge.
  4. cunctis — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: modifies creditis in the ablative absolute; Translation: “all (things)”; Notes: Synonymous with omnibus, but more emphatic (“the entirety”).
  5. ei — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object within ablative absolute; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Joseph as the one entrusted with all matters.
  6. creditis — Lemma: crēdō; Part of Speech: verb (participle); Form: perfect passive participle ablative plural neuter; Function: participle in ablative absolute with cunctis; Translation: “having been entrusted”; Notes: Denotes total delegation of affairs to Joseph’s care.
  7. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of erat and dirigebat; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, emphasizing divine sovereignty in Joseph’s success.
  8. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: conjunction (explanatory); Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces causal explanation; Translation: “for / indeed”; Notes: Provides theological rationale for Joseph’s prosperity.
  9. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect indicative active; Function: main verb of clause; Translation: “was”; Notes: Expresses continuous divine presence.
  10. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses accompaniment; Translation: “with”; Notes: Used to indicate divine companionship or favor.
  11. illo — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of cum; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers again to Joseph as the object of divine favor.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects two main clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins God’s presence and providential action.
  13. omnia — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: modifies opera; Translation: “all (things)”; Notes: Stresses universality of divine governance.
  14. opera — Lemma: opus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject of dirigebat; Translation: “works / deeds”; Notes: Refers to all of Joseph’s activities and responsibilities.
  15. eius — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive modifier of opera; Translation: “his”; Notes: Denotes Joseph as the one whose works YHWH directed.
  16. dirigebat — Lemma: dīrigō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect indicative active; Function: main verb of final clause; Translation: “was directing”; Notes: Imperfect indicates continual divine guidance rather than a single act.

 

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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