Genesis 28:8

Posted on January 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 28:8 probans quoque quod non libenter aspiceret filias Chanaan pater suus:

also perceiving that his father did not look with favor upon the daughters of Chanaan;

# Latin Gloss GRAMMAR TAG
1 probans perceiving / realizing PRES.ACT.PART.NOM.SG.M
2 quoque also ADV.ENCLITIC
3 quod that CONJ
4 non not NEG.PART
5 libenter willingly / gladly ADV
6 aspiceret looked upon 3SG.IMPERF.ACT.SUBJ
7 filias daughters ACC.PL.F
8 Chanaan Kenaʾan / Canaan GEN.SG.PROPER.NAME
9 pater father NOM.SG.M
10 suus his NOM.SG.M.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Participial Construction: probans quoque quod non libenter aspiceret… — The participle probans introduces another perception linked to Esau’s growing awareness. It governs the indirect statement introduced by quod.
Subordinate Clause: quod non libenter aspiceret filias Chanaan pater suus — The conjunction quod introduces indirect discourse dependent on probans. The subjunctive aspiceret expresses reported perception rather than direct assertion.
Negation and Adverbial Nuance: non libenter modifies aspiceret, expressing disapproval or lack of favor. The phrase implies Isaac’s displeasure at Kenaʾanite marriages.

Morphology

  1. probans — Lemma: probo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active nominative singular masculine; Function: circumstantial participle introducing perception; Translation: “perceiving / realizing”; Notes: Continues the series of participial constructions describing Esau’s reflective awareness and growing understanding of his parents’ disapproval.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb (enclitic); Form: invariant; Function: adds emphasis or inclusion; Translation: “also”; Notes: Links this perception to Esau’s previous realizations, suggesting cumulative insight.
  3. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariant; Function: introduces indirect discourse; Translation: “that”; Notes: Subordinates the content of Esau’s perception, forming a complement clause of “probans.”
  4. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: particle; Form: invariant; Function: negation; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the adverb “libenter,” conveying Isaac’s unwillingness or displeasure.
  5. libenter — Lemma: libenter; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariant; Function: modifies “aspiceret”; Translation: “willingly / gladly”; Notes: Indicates emotional tone — the lack of joy or approval in Isaac’s view toward Kenaʾanite women.
  6. aspiceret — Lemma: aspicio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect subjunctive active 3rd person singular; Function: verb of indirect statement; Translation: “looked upon”; Notes: Subjunctive marks reported perception. Implies judgmental observation rather than mere visual action.
  7. filias — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of “aspiceret”; Translation: “daughters”; Notes: Refers to women of Kenaʾan, the ethnic group disfavored by Isaac and Rebekah for marriage alliances.
  8. Chanaan — Lemma: Chanaan; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular; Function: genitive of origin modifying “filias”; Translation: “of Kenaʾan”; Notes: Identifies ethnic lineage and region symbolizing separation from the chosen covenantal family line.
  9. pater — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “aspiceret”; Translation: “father”; Notes: Refers to Isaac as the observer who disapproves of Canaanite daughters.
  10. suus — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: reflexive possessive adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies “pater”; Translation: “his”; Notes: Indicates Esau’s own father; the reflexive adjective underscores the relational and emotional context of filial awareness.

 

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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