Genesis 42:25

Posted on February 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 42:25 Tollensque Simeon, et ligans illis præsentibus, iussit ministris ut implerent eorum saccos tritico, et reponerent pecunias singulorum in sacculis suis, datis supra cibariis in viam: qui fecerunt ita.

And taking Simeon, and binding him before them, he ordered the servants to fill their sacks with grain and to place the money of each in their small bags, with provisions given for the journey; and they did so.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Tollensque and taking PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.SG.M + ENCLITIC -QUE
2 Simeon Simeon NOM.SG.M
3 et and CONJ
4 ligans binding PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.SG.M
5 illis to them DAT.PL.M/F
6 praesentibus present ABL.PL.M/F
7 iussit he ordered 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 ministris to the servants DAT.PL.M
9 ut that CONJ
10 implerent they might fill 3PL.IMPF.ACT.SUBJ
11 eorum their GEN.PL.M/N
12 saccos sacks ACC.PL.M
13 tritico with grain ABL.SG.N
14 et and CONJ
15 reponerent they might place back 3PL.IMPF.ACT.SUBJ
16 pecunias monies ACC.PL.F
17 singulorum of each GEN.PL.M
18 in in PREP+ABL
19 sacculis small bags ABL.PL.M
20 suis their own ABL.PL.M (REFL.POSS)
21 datis given PERF.PASS.PTCP.ABL.PL.N
22 supra above PREP+ACC
23 cibariis provisions ACC.PL.N
24 in into PREP+ACC
25 viam the journey ACC.SG.F
26 qui who NOM.PL.M
27 fecerunt they did 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
28 ita thus ADV

Syntax

Main Structure: A sequence of participial clauses (Tollensque, ligans) modifies the implied subject (Joseph).
Main Verb: iussit — Joseph gives a command.
Subordinate Clause: Introduced by ut; verbs implerent and reponerent express commanded actions.
<bObjects: saccos, pecunias — direct objects of the subordinate verbs.
Prepositional Phrases: in sacculis suis, supra cibaria, in viam — indicate location and purpose.
Relative Clause: qui fecerunt ita — refers to the servants carrying out instructions.

Morphology

  1. Tollensque — Lemma: tollo; Part of Speech: participle + enclitic; Form: present active participle nominative singular masculine + -que; Function: introduces attendant action; Translation: “and taking”; Notes: Modifies Joseph.
  2. Simeon — Lemma: Simeon; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: object of participle; Translation: “Simeon”; Notes: Direct object of “taking.”
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links elements; Translation: “and”; Notes: Neutral connector.
  4. ligans — Lemma: ligo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative singular masculine; Function: second attendant action; Translation: “binding”; Notes: Further describes Joseph’s action.
  5. illis — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the brothers.
  6. praesentibus — Lemma: praesens; Part of Speech: participle used adjectivally; Form: ablative plural; Function: ablative absolute with “illis”; Translation: “being present”; Notes: Sets scene context.
  7. iussit — Lemma: iubeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “he ordered”; Notes: Central action of sentence.
  8. ministris — Lemma: minister; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to the servants”; Notes: Recipients of command.
  9. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: purpose clause marker; Function: introduces commanded actions; Translation: “that”; Notes: Governs subjunctives.
  10. implerent — Lemma: impleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive 3rd plural; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “they might fill”; Notes: Part of command.
  11. eorum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive plural; Function: possession; Translation: “their”; Notes: Modifies “sacks.”
  12. saccos — Lemma: saccus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “sacks”; Notes: Object of “fill.”
  13. tritico — Lemma: triticum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular; Function: ablative of means; Translation: “with grain”; Notes: Specifies what fills sacks.
  14. et — same as above.
  15. reponerent — Lemma: repono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive 3rd plural; Function: subordinate verb; Translation: “they might place back”; Notes: Second commanded action.
  16. pecunias — Lemma: pecunia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: “monies”; Notes: Returned secretly.
  17. singulorum — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possession; Translation: “of each”; Notes: Individualization.
  18. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: + ablative; Function: location; Translation: “in”; Notes: Governs ablative.
  19. sacculis — Lemma: sacculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: “small bags”; Notes: Distinct from saccos.
  20. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: reflexive adjective; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifier; Translation: “their own”; Notes: Indicates ownership.
  21. datis — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle ablative plural; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: “given”; Notes: Refers to extra provisions.
  22. supra — Lemma: supra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: + accusative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: “above”; Notes: Indicates placement.
  23. cibariis — Lemma: cibaria; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: “provisions”; Notes: Food supplies.
  24. in — + accusative; “into”; sets destination.
  25. viam — Lemma: via; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: “the journey”; Notes: Purpose clause nuance.
  26. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of clause; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to servants.
  27. fecerunt — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd plural; Function: predicate; Translation: “they did”; Notes: Concludes account.
  28. ita — Lemma: ita; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adverbial modifier; Translation: “thus”; Notes: Confirms obedience.

 

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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