Genesis 22:2

Posted on January 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 22:2 Ait illi: Tolle filium tuum unigenitum, quem diligis, Isaac, et vade in terram visionis: atque ibi offeres eum in holocaustum super unum montium quem monstravero tibi.

He said to him: “Take your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go into the land of vision, and there you will offer him as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will show you.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ait he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 illi to him PRON.DAT.SG.M
3 Tolle take 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
4 filium son ACC.SG.M
5 tuum your ADJ.POSS.ACC.SG.M
6 unigenitum only-begotten ADJ.ACC.SG.M
7 quem whom REL.PRON.ACC.SG.M
8 diligis you love 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
9 Isaac Isaac ACC.SG.M
10 et and CONJ
11 vade go 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
12 in into PREP+ACC
13 terram land ACC.SG.F
14 visionis of vision GEN.SG.F
15 atque and also CONJ
16 ibi there ADV
17 offeres you will offer 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
18 eum him PRON.ACC.SG.M
19 in as PREP+ACC
20 holocaustum burnt offering ACC.SG.N
21 super upon PREP+ACC
22 unum one NUM.ACC.SG.M
23 montium of the mountains GEN.PL.M
24 quem which REL.PRON.ACC.SG.M
25 monstravero I will show 1SG.FUT.PERF.ACT.IND
26 tibi to you PRON.DAT.SG

Syntax

Main Clause: Ait illi — introduces the divine speech, with Ait (verb) and illi (indirect object).
Imperative Command: Tolle filium tuum unigenitum — direct order from God; filium is the object of Tolle, modified by tuum and unigenitum.
Relative Clause: quem diligis — defines which son, expressing affection.
Sequential Command: et vade in terram visionis — second imperative with prepositional phrase indicating destination.
Final Instruction: atque ibi offeres eum in holocaustum super unum montium quem monstravero tibi — future indicative expresses certain future obedience; quem monstravero tibi is a relative clause specifying the mountain.

Morphology

  1. Ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active third person singular; Function: main narrative verb introducing speech; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Common in biblical Latin for divine or human utterance.
  2. illi — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative masculine singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Abraham.
  3. Tolle — Lemma: tollo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present imperative active second person singular; Function: command; Translation: “take”; Notes: Begins the series of divine imperatives.
  4. filium — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: direct object of tolle; Translation: “son”; Notes: Central focus of the command.
  5. tuum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: modifies filium; Translation: “your”; Notes: Personalizes the command.
  6. unigenitum — Lemma: unigenitus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: modifies filium; Translation: “only-begotten”; Notes: Emphasizes the uniqueness of Isaac.
  7. quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: object of diligis; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Introduces relative clause expressing affection.
  8. diligis — Lemma: diligo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present indicative active second person singular; Function: predicate of relative clause; Translation: “you love”; Notes: Expresses deep affection, not mere liking.
  9. Isaac — Lemma: Isaac; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: apposition to filium; Translation: “Isaac”; Notes: Identifies the son referred to.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links commands; Translation: “and”; Notes: Coordinating conjunction joining imperatives.
  11. vade — Lemma: vado; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present imperative active second person singular; Function: command; Translation: “go”; Notes: A call to immediate action.
  12. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses motion into; Translation: “into”; Notes: Introduces destination phrase.
  13. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative feminine singular; Function: object of in; Translation: “land”; Notes: Refers to the geographical destination.
  14. visionis — Lemma: visio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive feminine singular; Function: genitive of description; Translation: “of vision”; Notes: Probably referring to “Moriah,” the land of revelation.
  15. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects sequential actions; Translation: “and also”; Notes: Strengthened form of “et.”
  16. ibi — Lemma: ibi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: locative adverb; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates place of sacrifice.
  17. offeres — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future indicative active second person singular; Function: main verb of future action; Translation: “you will offer”; Notes: Indicates an assured future action.
  18. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: direct object of offeres; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers back to Isaac.
  19. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces predicate complement; Translation: “as”; Notes: Indicates purpose or role.
  20. holocaustum — Lemma: holocaustum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: complement of in; Translation: “burnt offering”; Notes: Technical term for complete burnt sacrifice.
  21. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses position; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Indicates spatial location on mountain.
  22. unum — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: modifies montium; Translation: “one”; Notes: Specifies singular mountain among many.
  23. montium — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive masculine plural; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: “of the mountains”; Notes: Indicates selection from a group.
  24. quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative masculine singular; Function: object of monstravero; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces relative clause defining the specific mountain.
  25. monstravero — Lemma: monstro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect indicative active first person singular; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: “I will show”; Notes: Indicates action that will precede the offering.
  26. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to you”; Notes: Recipient of revelation.

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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