Genesis 12:18

Posted on January 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 12:18 Vocavitque Pharao Abram, et dixit ei: Quidnam est hoc quod fecisti mihi? quare non indicasti quod uxor tua esset?

And Pharaoh called Abram and said to him: “What is this that you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife?

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vocavitque and he called 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + -QUE
2 Pharao Pharaoh NOM.SG.M
3 Abram Abram ACC.SG.M
4 et and CONJ
5 dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 ei to him PRON.DAT.SG.3
7 Quidnam what then / what indeed INTERROG.PRON.NOM/ACC.SG.N
8 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
9 hoc this (thing) PRON.NOM/ACC.SG.N
10 quod that / which CONJ
11 fecisti you did 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
12 mihi to me PRON.DAT.SG.1
13 quare why ADV.INTERROG
14 non not ADV.NEG
15 indicasti you told / declared 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
16 quod that CONJ
17 uxor wife NOM.SG.F
18 tua your ADJ.POSS.NOM.SG.F
19 esset she was 3SG.IMPF.SUBJ.ACT

Syntax

Main Clauses:
1. Vocavitque Pharao Abram — Pharao (subject) performs the action of vocavit (“called”) with Abram as the direct object. The enclitic -que links this with the following clause.
2. et dixit ei — introduces direct speech; ei is the dative indirect object (“to him”).
Direct Question 1: Quidnam est hoc quod fecisti mihi? — interrogative particle quidnam (“what indeed?”) expresses indignation. The clause quod fecisti mihi (“that you have done to me”) functions as a relative object of hoc.
Direct Question 2: quare non indicasti quod uxor tua esset? — causal question (“why did you not tell…?”); subordinate clause quod uxor tua esset explains what Pharaoh was not informed of.

Morphology

  1. Vocavitque — Lemma: voco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular, with enclitic -que; Function: Main verb; Translation: “and (he) called”; Notes: Connects with the following clause; describes Pharaoh’s immediate response.
  2. Pharao — Lemma: Pharao; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of Vocavit; Translation: “Pharaoh”; Notes: Egyptian ruler addressing Abram.
  3. Abram — Lemma: Abram; Part of Speech: Proper noun (indeclinable); Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “Abram”; Notes: Recipient of Pharaoh’s summons.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Coordinating conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects sequential actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple coordination marker.
  5. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Introduces direct speech; Translation: “said”; Notes: Common narrative verb introducing dialogue.
  6. ei — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative singular masculine; Function: Indirect object; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Abram.
  7. Quidnam — Lemma: quidnam; Part of Speech: Interrogative pronoun; Form: Nominative or accusative singular neuter; Function: Interrogative subject/object; Translation: “what indeed / what then”; Notes: Emphasizes surprise or indignation.
  8. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Copulative verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: Forms existential or identifying clause.
  9. hoc — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: Subject or object of est; Translation: “this (thing)”; Notes: Refers to Abram’s deceitful action.
  10. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: Conjunction/relative; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces relative clause; Translation: “that / which”; Notes: Links hoc with the verb fecisti.
  11. fecisti — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 2nd person singular; Function: Verb of relative clause; Translation: “you did”; Notes: Expresses Pharaoh’s accusation of wrongdoing.
  12. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Dative singular; Function: Indirect object; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Recipient of the action; Pharaoh himself.
  13. quare — Lemma: quare; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Interrogative adverb; Translation: “why”; Notes: Introduces the second rhetorical question.
  14. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Negation; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates indicasti.
  15. indicasti — Lemma: indico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 2nd person singular; Function: Verb of main clause; Translation: “you told / revealed”; Notes: Pharaoh’s rebuke for Abram’s concealment.
  16. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces indirect statement; Translation: “that”; Notes: Subordinates the following clause as reported content.
  17. uxor — Lemma: uxor; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Subject of esset; Translation: “wife”; Notes: Predicate identifying Sarai’s true relationship.
  18. tua — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: Adjective (possessive); Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Modifies uxor; Translation: “your”; Notes: Personal possessive emphasizing responsibility.
  19. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Imperfect subjunctive, 3rd person singular; Function: Verb of indirect statement; Translation: “she was”; Notes: Subjunctive used in subordinate clause dependent on indicasti.

 

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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