Genesis 27:21

Posted on January 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 27:21 Dixitque Isaac: Accede huc, ut tangam te fili mi, et probem utrum tu sis filius meus Esau, an non.

And Isaac said: “Come near here, that I may touch you, my son, and test whether you are my son Esau or not.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixitque and he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC
2 Isaac Isaac NOM.SG.M.PROP.NOUN
3 Accede come near 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
4 huc here / to this place ADV
5 ut that / in order that CONJ
6 tangam I may touch 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
7 te you ACC.SG.2ND.PRON
8 fili son VOC.SG.M
9 mi my VOC.SG.M.POSS.ADJ
10 et and CONJ
11 probem I may test / prove 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
12 utrum whether CONJ
13 tu you NOM.SG.2ND.PRON
14 sis are 2SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
15 filius son NOM.SG.M
16 meus my NOM.SG.M.POSS.ADJ
17 Esau Esau NOM.SG.M.PROP.NOUN
18 an or CONJ
19 non not ADV

Syntax

Main Clause: Dixitque Isaac — “And Isaac said.” The enclitic -que links this statement with the preceding verse.
Imperative Clause: Accede huc — “Come near here.” The imperative accede commands immediate proximity, with the adverb huc indicating direction.
Purpose Clause 1: ut tangam te fili mi — “that I may touch you, my son.” The subjunctive tangam expresses purpose. The vocative fili mi adds tenderness and familiarity.
Purpose Clause 2: et probem utrum tu sis filius meus Esau an non — “and that I may test whether you are my son Esau or not.” The conjunction ut is understood from the previous clause, introducing a second subjunctive probem. The indirect question utrum…an non presents the alternatives Isaac considers.

Morphology

  1. Dixitque — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb + enclitic; Form: perfect indicative active 3rd person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: The enclitic “-que” connects this to the continuing dialogue with Jacob.
  2. Isaac — Lemma: Isaac; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “dixit”; Translation: “Isaac”; Notes: The speaker addressing Jacob.
  3. Accede — Lemma: accedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present imperative active 2nd person singular; Function: command; Translation: “come near”; Notes: Directs Jacob to approach for examination.
  4. huc — Lemma: huc; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: adverb of place; Translation: “here / to this place”; Notes: Indicates movement toward the speaker.
  5. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: introduces purpose clause; Function: expresses intent; Translation: “that / in order that”; Notes: Sets off purpose clauses with subjunctives “tangam” and “probem.”
  6. tangam — Lemma: tango; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 1st person singular; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “I may touch”; Notes: Indicates Isaac’s test of tactile confirmation.
  7. te — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular 2nd person; Function: direct object of “tangam”; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to Jacob as the one being tested.
  8. fili — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: direct address; Translation: “son”; Notes: Expresses paternal affection.
  9. mi — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: modifies “fili”; Translation: “my”; Notes: Adds tenderness to the address.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links the two purpose clauses.
  11. probem — Lemma: probo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 1st person singular; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “I may test / prove”; Notes: Expresses Isaac’s intent to verify Jacob’s identity.
  12. utrum — Lemma: utrum; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: interrogative; Function: introduces indirect question; Translation: “whether”; Notes: Used with “an” to present two alternatives.
  13. tu — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular 2nd person; Function: subject of “sis”; Translation: “you”; Notes: The person being questioned.
  14. sis — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive active 2nd person singular; Function: verb in indirect question; Translation: “are”; Notes: Subjunctive marks indirect inquiry dependent on “probem.”
  15. filius — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “son”; Notes: Complements “sis.”
  16. meus — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies “filius”; Translation: “my”; Notes: Indicates Isaac’s filial connection.
  17. Esau — Lemma: Esau; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: apposition; Translation: “Esau”; Notes: The identity under examination.
  18. an — Lemma: an; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: coordinates with “utrum” to express alternative; Translation: “or”; Notes: Part of the double question construction.
  19. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: negates clause; Translation: “not”; Notes: Closes the double question “utrum…an non.”

 

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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