Genesis 48:12

Posted on February 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 48:12 Cumque tulisset eos Ioseph de gremio patris, adoravit pronus in terram.

And when Joseph had taken them from his father’s lap, he bowed down prone to the ground.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ + ENCLITIC -QUE
2 tulisset had taken 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
3 eos them ACC.PL.M.PRON
4 Ioseph Joseph NOM.SG.M.PROP
5 de from PREP+ABL
6 gremio lap ABL.SG.N
7 patris of (his) father GEN.SG.M
8 adoravit bowed down 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 pronus prostrate NOM.SG.M.ADJ
10 in on PREP+ACC
11 terram the ground ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Temporal clause:
Cumque tulisset eos Ioseph de gremio patris
• Cumque introduces a temporal subjunctive (pluperfect)
• Verb: tulisset
• Subject: Ioseph
• Object: eos
• Separation phrase: de gremio patris (“from his father’s lap”)

Main clause:
adoravit pronus in terram
• adoravit = main verb
• pronus = predicate adjective modifying implicit subject
• in terram = location of prostration

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + que; Part of Speech: conjunction with enclitic; Form: temporal; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: -que joins this clause to previous one.
  2. tulisset — Lemma: fero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect active subjunctive third singular; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: “had taken”; Notes: Subjunctive required after cum temporal.
  3. eos — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to Ephraim and Manasseh.
  4. Ioseph — Lemma: Ioseph; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Joseph”; Notes: Hebrew name used in Latin form.
  5. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses separation; Translation: “from”; Notes: Standard ablative of source.
  6. gremio — Lemma: gremium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of de; Translation: “lap”; Notes: Indicates intimate position of sons with Jacob.
  7. patris — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possession; Translation: “of (his) father”; Notes: Refers to Israel/Jacob.
  8. adoravit — Lemma: adoro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “bowed down”; Notes: Gesture of reverence and gratitude.
  9. pronus — Lemma: pronus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “prostrate” / “prone”; Notes: Indicates posture.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses motion toward; Translation: “on”; Notes: Accusative marks movement to surface.
  11. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “ground”; Notes: Indicates direction and posture.

 

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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