Genesis 50:19

Posted on February 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 50:19 Quibus ille respondit: Nolite timere: num Dei possumus resistere voluntati?

And he answered them: “Do not be afraid; can we resist the will of God?

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quibus to whom PRON.DAT.PL / ABL.PL
2 ille he PRON.NOM.SG.M
3 respondit answered V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 Nolite do not V.2PL.PRES.ACT.IMPERATIVE
5 timere to fear V.PRES.ACT.INF
6 num surely not? INTERROG.PARTICLE
7 Dei of God N.MASC.GEN.SG
8 possumus can we V.1PL.PRES.ACT.IND
9 resistere to resist V.PRES.ACT.INF
10 voluntati to the will N.FEM.DAT.SG

Syntax

Introductory clause: Quibus ille respondit —
Quibus = indirect object (“to whom”).
ille = subject (“he,” Joseph).
respondit = perfect verb (“answered”).

Imperative phrase: Nolite timere —
Nolite + infinitive gives a negative command: “Do not be afraid.”
Addressed to the brothers.

Rhetorical question introduced by num: num Dei possumus resistere voluntati? —
num expects the answer “No.”
possumus = main verb (“can we”).
resistere = complementary infinitive.
voluntati Dei = dative object (“to the will of God”).
Meaning: “Surely we cannot resist God’s will?”

Morphology

  1. Quibus — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative/ablative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: to whom; Notes: refers to the brothers.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: he; Notes: refers to Joseph.
  3. respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: answered; Notes: standard perfect.
  4. Nolite — Lemma: nolo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd plural present active imperative; Function: negative command; Translation: do not; Notes: forms prohibition.
  5. timere — Lemma: timeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: infinitive with nolite; Translation: to fear; Notes: completes prohibition.
  6. num — Lemma: num; Part of Speech: interrogative particle; Form: invariant; Function: introduces rhetorical question; Translation: surely not?; Notes: expects a negative answer.
  7. Dei — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive with voluntati; Translation: of God; Notes: denotes divine will.
  8. possumus — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st plural present active indicative; Function: main verb of question; Translation: we can; Notes: takes infinitive complement.
  9. resistere — Lemma: resisto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complement of possumus; Translation: to resist; Notes: governs dative.
  10. voluntati — Lemma: voluntas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: dative object of resistere; Translation: to the will; Notes: paired with Dei.

 

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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