Genesis 40:22

Posted on February 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 40:22 alterum suspendit in patibulo, ut coniectoris veritas probaretur.

and the other he hanged on the gallows, so that the truth of the interpreter might be proved.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 alterum the other PRON.ACC.SG.M
2 suspendit hanged V.3SG.PERF.IND.ACT
3 in on PREP+ABL
4 patibulo gallows NOUN.ABL.SG.N
5 ut so that CONJ
6 coniectoris of the interpreter NOUN.GEN.SG.M
7 veritas truth NOUN.NOM.SG.F
8 probaretur might be proved V.3SG.IMPF.SUBJ.PASS

Syntax

Main clause:
alterum suspendit in patibulo — “and the other he hanged on the gallows.”
• Subject: implied (Pharaoh).
• Verb: suspendit, perfect active.
• Object: alterum.
• Prepositional phrase: in patibulo — location of execution.

Purpose clause:
ut coniectoris veritas probaretur — “so that the truth of the interpreter might be proved.”
• ut introduces final clause.
• probaretur = imperfect subjunctive passive.
• veritas = subject of passive.
• coniectoris = possessive genitive modifying veritas.

Morphology

  1. alterum — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “the other”; Notes: Refers to the chief baker.
  2. suspendit — Lemma: suspendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “hanged”; Notes: Perfect marks completed judicial execution.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses location; Translation: “on”; Notes: Ablative of place where.
  4. patibulo — Lemma: patibulum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: “gallows”; Notes: Instrument of execution, often a crossbeam.
  5. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: Marks intended outcome of Pharaoh’s actions.
  6. coniectoris — Lemma: coniector; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive modifying veritas; Translation: “of the interpreter”; Notes: Refers to Joseph.
  7. veritas — Lemma: veritas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of probaretur; Translation: “truth”; Notes: Subject of passive verb in purpose clause.
  8. probaretur — Lemma: probo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular imperfect subjunctive passive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “might be proved”; Notes: Imperfect subjunctive follows secondary sequence; passive voice places emphasis on the validation of Joseph’s interpretation.

 

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.