Genesis 49:27

Posted on February 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 49:27 Beniamin lupus rapax, mane comedat prædam, et vespere dividet spolia.

Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he will eat the prey, and in the evening he will divide the spoils.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Beniamin Benjamin PN.NOM.SG.M
2 lupus wolf N.MASC.NOM.SG
3 rapax ravenous ADJ.NOM.SG.M
4 mane in the morning ADV
5 comedat may he eat V.3SG.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
6 prædam prey N.FEM.ACC.SG
7 et and CONJ.COORD
8 vespere in the evening N.MASC.ABL.SG (used adverbially)
9 dividet he will divide V.3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
10 spolia spoils N.NEUT.ACC.PL

Syntax

Nominative equative structure: Beniamin lupus rapax —
Beniamin is the subject; lupus is the predicate nominative;
rapax is a descriptive adjective modifying lupus, forming a vivid metaphor of ferocity.

Temporal clause 1: mane comedat prædam —
mane is an adverb meaning “in the morning.”
comedat (present subjunctive) forms a prophetic-jussive sense.
prædam is the direct object.

Temporal clause 2: vespere dividet spolia —
vespere is an ablative used adverbially (“in the evening”).
dividet is a future indicative predicting certain action.
spolia is the direct object (“spoils”).
Together, morning-evening structure depicts continuous victory.

Morphology

  1. Beniamin — Lemma: Beniamin; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Benjamin; Notes: youngest son of Jacob.
  2. lupus — Lemma: lupus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: wolf; Notes: symbolic of fierceness and prowess.
  3. rapax — Lemma: rapax; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies lupus; Translation: ravenous; Notes: conveys aggressive strength.
  4. mane — Lemma: mane; Part of Speech: adverb (from ablative); Form: invariant; Function: temporal marker; Translation: in the morning; Notes: often used adverbially.
  5. comedat — Lemma: comedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active subjunctive; Function: jussive/prophetic verb; Translation: may he eat; Notes: expresses predicted vigor.
  6. prædam — Lemma: præda; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: prey; Notes: typical object of a hunting metaphor.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  8. vespere — Lemma: vesper; Part of Speech: noun used adverbially; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: temporal adverbial; Translation: in the evening; Notes: classical and Vulgate usage.
  9. dividet — Lemma: divido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he will divide; Notes: expresses future certainty.
  10. spolia — Lemma: spolium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: spoils; Notes: typical of victory or warfare.

 

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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