Genesis 45:14

Posted on February 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 45:14 Cumque amplexatus recidisset in collum Beniamin fratris sui, flevit: illo quoque similiter flente super collum eius.

And when, having embraced, he fell upon the neck of Benjamin his brother, he wept; and he likewise, weeping in the same way, upon his neck.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ + ENCLITIC
2 amplexatus having embraced NOM.SG.M.PERF.PTCP.DEP
3 recidisset had fallen back 3SG.PLUPERF.ACT.SUBJ
4 in upon PREP+ACC
5 collum neck ACC.SG.N
6 Beniamin Benjamin GEN.SG.M
7 fratris of (his) brother GEN.SG.M
8 sui his GEN.SG.M.REFL
9 flevit he wept 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 illo he ABL.SG.M.DEM
11 quoque also ADV
12 similiter likewise ADV
13 flente weeping ABL.SG.M.PRES.PTCP
14 super upon PREP+ACC
15 collum neck ACC.SG.N
16 eius his GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Temporal clause:
• Cumque amplexatus recidisset in collum Beniamin fratris sui
— Conjunction: Cumque (“and when”)
— Participle: amplexatus (perfect participle, deponent)
— Verb (subjunctive): recidisset — pluperfect subjunctive (narrative cum-clause)
— Prepositional phrase: in collum
— Genitive chain: Beniamin fratris sui (“of Benjamin his brother”)

Main clause:
• flevit — “he wept.”
— Verb: flevit
— Subject implied (Joseph)

Coordinated clause:
• illo quoque similiter flente super collum eius
— Ablative absolute: illo quoque similiter flente (“he also likewise weeping”)
— Prepositional phrase: super collum eius (“upon his neck”)

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + que; Part of Speech: conjunction with enclitic; Form: temporal conjunction; Function: introduces temporal subordinate clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: enclitic links narrative flow.
  2. amplexatus — Lemma: amplector; Part of Speech: deponent verb (participle); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle; Function: subject participle in temporal clause; Translation: “having embraced”; Notes: deponent, passive form with active meaning.
  3. recidisset — Lemma: recido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect active subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: verb of cum-clause; Translation: “had fallen back”; Notes: subjunctive standard for narrative cum.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: “upon”; Notes: motion towards.
  5. collum — Lemma: collum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: “neck”; Notes: physical embrace target.
  6. Beniamin — Lemma: Beniamin; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies collum; Translation: “of Benjamin”; Notes: Hebrew name declined in Latin.
  7. fratris — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: “of (his) brother”; Notes: clarifies relationship.
  8. sui — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: reflexive possessive adjective; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies fratris; Translation: “his”; Notes: reflexive to the subject Joseph.
  9. flevit — Lemma: fleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “he wept”; Notes: emotional climax of recognition scene.
  10. illo — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative absolute subject; Translation: “he”; Notes: refers to Benjamin.
  11. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: adds emphasis of similarity; Translation: “also”; Notes: typical postpositive.
  12. similiter — Lemma: similiter; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies flente; Translation: “likewise”; Notes: parallel emotional action.
  13. flente — Lemma: fleo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative singular masculine present participle; Function: verb of ablative absolute; Translation: “weeping”; Notes: contemporaneous action.
  14. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: “upon”; Notes: emphasizes embrace.
  15. collum — Lemma: collum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of super; Translation: “neck”; Notes: repeated for parallel structure.
  16. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive; Translation: “his”; Notes: refers to the other party in the embrace.

 

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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