Genesis 18:17

Posted on January 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

17 Dixitque Dominus: Num celare potero Abraham quæ gesturus sum:

And the LORD said: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixitque and said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC -QUE
2 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M
3 Num surely not / whether INTERROG.PART
4 celare to hide PRES.ACT.INF
5 potero I will be able 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
6 Abraham Abraham ACC.SG.M.PROP.NOUN
7 quæ which / what things ACC.PL.N.REL.PRON
8 gesturus about to do NOM.SG.M.FUT.ACT.PTCP
9 sum I am 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause: Dixitque Dominus — Dominus is the subject, Dixit (“said”) the main verb, with the enclitic -que linking the statement to the previous narrative.
Rhetorical Question: Num celare potero Abraham quæ gesturus sum? — The interrogative particle Num introduces a rhetorical question expecting the answer “No.” celare (infinitive) and potero (future of *possum*) express ability in a deliberative sense: “Shall I hide…?” The infinitive celare governs the accusative Abraham. The relative pronoun quæ introduces the object clause referring to the actions the LORD is about to perform. gesturus sum is a periphrastic future (“I am about to do”), revealing divine foreknowledge and intention.

Morphology

  1. Dixitque — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb + enclitic conjunction; Form: perfect active indicative, third person singular + -que; Function: main verb; Translation: “and said”; Notes: The enclitic -que links the statement to the preceding verse, continuing the divine discourse.
  2. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, the divine speaker deliberating over Abraham’s inclusion in revelation.
  3. Num — Lemma: num; Part of Speech: interrogative particle; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces rhetorical question expecting “no”; Translation: “surely not”; Notes: Implies divine self-reflection or moral reasoning.
  4. celare — Lemma: celo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive with “potero”; Translation: “to hide”; Notes: Expresses the action the LORD considers refraining from.
  5. potero — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, first person singular; Function: main verb of deliberation; Translation: “shall I be able”; Notes: Expresses divine volition and the impossibility of concealing His plans from Abraham.
  6. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of “celare”; Translation: “Abraham”; Notes: The recipient of divine revelation concerning judgment on Sodom.
  7. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: introduces object clause; Translation: “which / what things”; Notes: Refers to the actions or deeds God intends to perform.
  8. gesturus — Lemma: gero; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine, future active; Function: predicate adjective with “sum”; Translation: “about to do”; Notes: Forms periphrastic future expressing imminent divine action.
  9. sum — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, first person singular; Function: auxiliary verb in periphrastic construction; Translation: “I am”; Notes: Combines with “gesturus” to form the periphrastic future tense (“I am about to do”).

 

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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