Genesis 43:17

Posted on February 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 43:17 Fecit ille quod sibi fuerat imperatum, et introduxit viros domum.

He did what had been commanded to him, and he brought the men into the house.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Fecit he did 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 ille he NOM.SG.M
3 quod what ACC.SG.N.REL
4 sibi to him DAT.SG.REFL
5 fuerat had been 3SG.PLUPERF.ACT.IND
6 imperatum commanded NOM/ACC.SG.N.PPP
7 et and CONJ
8 introduxit he brought in 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 viros the men ACC.PL.M
10 domum into the house ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main clause 1: Fecit ille quod sibi fuerat imperatum — Subject ille, verb Fecit, object clause quod … imperatum fuerat.
Relative-object clause: quod sibi fuerat imperatum — passive periphrastic sense (“that which had been commanded to him”).
Main clause 2: et introduxit viros domum — Coordinated action, with direct object viros and destination domum.
Connector: et links the two narrative actions.

Morphology

  1. Fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “he did”; Notes: introduces obedience to command.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “he”; Notes: refers to Joseph’s steward.
  3. quod — Lemma: qui/quae/quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of clause; Translation: “what”; Notes: introduces substantive clause.
  4. sibi — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: reflexive pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to him”; Notes: refers back to the steward.
  5. fuerat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: auxiliary with imperatum; Translation: “had been”; Notes: expresses prior completed command.
  6. imperatum — Lemma: impero; Part of Speech: perfect passive participle; Form: nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: predicate of fuerat; Translation: “commanded”; Notes: neuter referring to unspecified task.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: narrative connector.
  8. introduxit — Lemma: introduco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “he brought in”; Notes: fulfillment of Joseph’s command.
  9. viros — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “the men”; Notes: Joseph’s brothers.
  10. domum — Lemma: domus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: destination; Translation: “into the house”; Notes: indicates motion toward interior.

 

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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