Genesis 15:8

Posted on January 15, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 15:8 At ille ait: Domine Deus, unde scire possum, quod possessurus sim eam?

And he said: “Lord God, how may I know that I shall possess it?

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 At but / and CONJ
2 ille he NOM.SG.M PRON
3 ait said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 Domine Lord VOC.SG.M
5 Deus God NOM.SG.M
6 unde how / by what means INTERROG.ADV
7 scire to know PRES.ACT.INF
8 possum I am able 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
9 quod that CONJ
10 possessurus about to possess NOM.SG.M FUT.ACT.PTCP
11 sim I may be 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
12 eam it ACC.SG.F PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: At ille ait — introduces Abram’s reply; at provides mild contrast (“but he said”).
Vocative Phrase: Domine Deus — double address showing reverence and recognition of divine authority.
Indirect Question: unde scire possum quod possessurus sim eam — dependent clause introduced by unde (“how”); scire possum governs the infinitive scire and subjunctive clause quod possessurus sim eam, expressing doubt or inquiry.
The combination of possum + infinitive and subjunctive expresses a request for assurance of divine promise fulfillment.

Morphology

  1. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional conjunction introducing contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Shifts from divine speech to human response, often used to mark dialogue turns.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Abram as speaker.
  3. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of speaking; Translation: “said”; Notes: Used for direct quotations in narrative prose.
  4. Domine — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun/title; Form: Vocative singular masculine; Function: Address to God; Translation: “Lord”; Notes: Represents reverent invocation, referring to אֲדֹנָי.
  5. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition to Domine; Translation: “God”; Notes: Reinforces the divine identity of the addressee. In this context, the Masoretic Text uses YHWH, which is typically rendered as Dominus in Latin, rather than Elohim, which is more directly translated as Deus.
  6. unde — Lemma: unde; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces indirect question; Translation: “how”; Notes: Expresses Abram’s uncertainty about divine fulfillment.
  7. scire — Lemma: scio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active infinitive; Function: Complement of possum; Translation: “to know”; Notes: Infinitive of cognitive verb forming the indirect query.
  8. possum — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active indicative, 1st person singular; Function: Main verb of ability; Translation: “I am able / may I know”; Notes: Expresses potential for knowing, not physical ability.
  9. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces subordinate clause with subjunctive; Translation: “that”; Notes: Marks content of Abram’s question.
  10. possessurus — Lemma: possideo; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: Nominative singular masculine, future active participle; Function: Predicate nominative with sim; Translation: “about to possess”; Notes: Indicates expected future possession.
  11. sim — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active subjunctive, 1st person singular; Function: Verb of indirect question; Translation: “I may be”; Notes: Subjunctive mood expresses uncertainty or inquiry.
  12. eam — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Object of possessurus sim; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the promised land, direct object of future possession.

 

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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