Genesis 49:12

Posted on February 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 49:12 Pulchriores sunt oculi eius vino, et dentes eius lacte candidiores.

His eyes are more beautiful than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Pulchriores more beautiful ADJ.COMP.NOM.PL.M
2 sunt are V.3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
3 oculi eyes N.MASC.NOM.PL
4 eius his PRON.GEN.SG
5 vino than wine N.NEUT.ABL.SG
6 et and CONJ.COORD
7 dentes teeth N.MASC.NOM.PL
8 eius his PRON.GEN.SG
9 lacte than milk N.NEUT.ABL.SG
10 candidiores whiter ADJ.COMP.NOM.PL.M

Syntax

First comparative clause: Pulchriores sunt oculi eius vino places the comparative adjective Pulchriores in the predicate, modifying oculi eius.
vino is ablative of comparison without quam.

Second comparative clause: et dentes eius lacte candidiores mirrors the structure.
dentes eius is the subject; candidiores is the comparative predicate adjective; lacte functions as ablative of comparison.

The verse uses parallel comparative constructions to praise Judah’s appearance metaphorically, likely symbolizing moral or royal qualities.

Morphology

  1. Pulchriores — Lemma: pulcher; Part of Speech: adjective (comparative); Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: predicate adjective modifying oculi; Translation: more beautiful; Notes: comparative by ablative.
  2. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active indicative; Function: copula; Translation: are; Notes: links subject to predicate.
  3. oculi — Lemma: oculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of sunt; Translation: eyes; Notes: plural noun.
  4. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: his; Notes: referring to Judah.
  5. vino — Lemma: vinum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of comparison; Translation: than wine; Notes: comparison without quam.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  7. dentes — Lemma: dens; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of implied sunt; Translation: teeth; Notes: parallel to oculi.
  8. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: his; Notes: attaches possession.
  9. lacte — Lemma: lac; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of comparison; Translation: than milk; Notes: part of second comparison.
  10. candidiores — Lemma: candidus; Part of Speech: adjective (comparative); Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: whiter; Notes: completes parallel structure to pulchriores.

 

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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