Genesis 34:14

Posted on February 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 34:14 Non possumus facere quod petitis, nec dare sororem nostram homini incircumciso: quod illicitum et nefarium est apud nos.

“We cannot do what you ask, nor give our sister to an uncircumcised man, for that is unlawful and detestable among us.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Non not ADV
2 possumus we can / are able 1PL.PRES.ACT.IND
3 facere to do / make PRES.ACT.INF
4 quod what / that which ACC.SG.N (REL.PRON)
5 petitis you ask / request 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
6 nec nor / and not CONJ
7 dare to give PRES.ACT.INF
8 sororem sister ACC.SG.F
9 nostram our ACC.SG.F (ADJ)
10 homini to a man DAT.SG.M
11 incircumciso uncircumcised DAT.SG.M (ADJ)
12 quod because / for CONJ (CAUSAL)
13 illicitum unlawful NOM.SG.N (ADJ)
14 et and CONJ
15 nefarium detestable / wicked NOM.SG.N (ADJ)
16 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
17 apud among / with PREP+ACC
18 nos us / we ACC.PL.1P.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Non possumus facere quod petitis — “We cannot do what you ask.”
• Verb: possumus — main verb expressing inability.
• Infinitive: facere — complementary infinitive dependent on “possumus.”
• Object Clause: quod petitis — relative clause functioning as object, “what you ask.”

Coordinated Clause: nec dare sororem nostram homini incircumciso — “nor give our sister to an uncircumcised man.”
• Infinitive: dare — second complementary infinitive with “possumus” implied.
• Object: sororem nostram — direct object, “our sister.”
• Indirect Object: homini incircumciso — “to an uncircumcised man.”

Causal Clause: quod illicitum et nefarium est apud nos — “for that is unlawful and detestable among us.”
• Conjunction: quod — causal, equivalent to “because.”
• Predicate: illicitum et nefarium — nominative neuter adjectives predicated by est.
• Prepositional Phrase: apud nos — idiomatic for “in our custom” or “among us.”

Morphology

  1. Non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negates the verb “possumus,” expressing moral or ritual prohibition.
  2. possumus — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person plural present active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “we can / are able”; Notes: Expresses inability due to law or faith rather than physical limitation.
  3. facere — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: “to do”; Notes: Dependent on “possumus” to complete the expression of capacity.
  4. quod — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of “facere”; Translation: “what / that which”; Notes: Introduces an object clause referring to the requested act.
  5. petitis — Lemma: peto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person plural present active indicative; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “you ask / request”; Notes: Represents Shechem’s demand for marriage permission.
  6. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects negatives; Translation: “nor”; Notes: Extends the negation from the first infinitive phrase.
  7. dare — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: second complementary infinitive with “possumus” implied; Translation: “to give”; Notes: Expresses refusal of marital union.
  8. sororem — Lemma: soror; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of “dare”; Translation: “sister”; Notes: Refers to Dinah, whose honor they defend.
  9. nostram — Lemma: noster; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies “sororem”; Translation: “our”; Notes: Collective familial ownership highlighting moral obligation.
  10. homini — Lemma: homo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of “dare”; Translation: “to a man”; Notes: Recipient of the proposed marriage; in Hebrew context, denotes outsider.
  11. incircumciso — Lemma: incircumcisus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: modifies “homini”; Translation: “uncircumcised”; Notes: Religious term marking covenantal impurity.
  12. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: “because / for”; Notes: Explains reason for the refusal based on moral law.
  13. illicitum — Lemma: illicitus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective with “est”; Translation: “unlawful”; Notes: Conveys legal and religious disapproval.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins adjectives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links two moral descriptors emphasizing intensity of disapproval.
  15. nefarium — Lemma: nefarius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “detestable / wicked”; Notes: From “nefas,” meaning “against divine law.”
  16. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active indicative; Function: copula; Translation: “is”; Notes: Connects moral predicates to subject implied from “quod.”
  17. apud — Lemma: apud; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses relationship or community; Translation: “among / with”; Notes: Denotes internal cultural or covenantal norms.
  18. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: object of “apud”; Translation: “us”; Notes: Refers collectively to Jacob’s household; denotes covenant community identity.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Genesis. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.