Genesis 33:9

Posted on February 2, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 33:9 At ille ait: Habeo plurima, frater mi, sint tua tibi.

But he said: “I have many things, my brother; let what is yours be yours.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 At but / however CONJ
2 ille he NOM.SG.M (DEM.PRON)
3 ait said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 Habeo I have 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 plurima very many things / much ACC.PL.N (ADJ.SUBST)
6 frater brother VOC.SG.M
7 mi my VOC.SG.M (POSS.ADJ)
8 sint let them be 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 tua yours NOM.PL.N (PRON.ADJ)
10 tibi to you DAT.SG (PERS.PRON)

Syntax

Clause 1: At ille ait — “But he said.”
• Conjunction: At — adversative, introducing contrast to Jacob’s statement.
• Subject: ille — demonstrative pronoun, “he” (Esau).
• Verb: ait — perfect indicative, “said.”

Clause 2: Habeo plurima, frater mi — “I have many things, my brother.”
• Verb: Habeo — present tense, simple declaration of abundance.
• Object: plurima — neuter plural adjective used substantively, “many things.”
• Vocative Phrase: frater mi — “my brother,” term of affection and reconciliation.

Clause 3: sint tua tibi — “let what is yours be yours.”
• Verb: sint — subjunctive, expressing polite permission or wish.
• Predicate and Subject: tua — “your things,” subject of “sint.”
• Dative of Advantage: tibi — “for you,” indicates possession or benefit.

Morphology

  1. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Marks Esau’s reply contrasting Jacob’s deference.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Esau, continuing dialogue.
  3. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: verb of saying; Translation: “said”; Notes: Common narrative verb introducing speech.
  4. Habeo — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, 1st singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I have”; Notes: Simple possession verb, affirming sufficiency.
  5. plurima — Lemma: plurimus; Part of Speech: adjective (used substantively); Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: “many things”; Notes: Expresses abundance or wealth.
  6. frater — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: term of address; Translation: “brother”; Notes: Marks personal and familial warmth in tone.
  7. mi — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: vocative singular masculine (irregular form); Function: modifies “frater”; Translation: “my”; Notes: Endearing, intimate modifier.
  8. sint — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive, 3rd plural; Function: verb of jussive expression; Translation: “let them be”; Notes: Polite imperative or concessive wish.
  9. tua — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject of “sint”; Translation: “your things”; Notes: Neuter plural functioning substantively.
  10. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: dative of advantage; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Expresses intended benefit — “for yourself.”

 

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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