Genesis 9:12

Posted on January 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 9:12 Dixitque Deus: Hoc signum fœderis quod do inter me et vos, et ad omnem animam viventem, quæ est vobiscum in generationes sempiternas:

And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I give between me and you, and with every living soul that is with you, for everlasting generations:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixitque and said 3SG.PERF.IND.ACT
2 Deus God N.NOM.SG.M
3 Hoc this PRON.NOM.SG.N
4 signum sign N.NOM.SG.N
5 fœderis of the covenant N.GEN.SG.N
6 quod which REL.PRON.NOM.SG.N
7 do I give 1SG.PRES.IND.ACT
8 inter between PREP+ACC
9 me me PRON.ACC.SG
10 et and CONJ
11 vos you PRON.ACC.PL
12 et and CONJ
13 ad to/with PREP+ACC
14 omnem every ADJ.ACC.SG.F
15 animam soul N.ACC.SG.F
16 viventem living PART.PRES.ACT.ACC.SG.F
17 quæ which REL.PRON.NOM.SG.F
18 est is 3SG.PRES.IND.ACT
19 vobiscum with you PREP+ABL.PL
20 in in PREP+ACC
21 generationes generations N.ACC.PL.F
22 sempiternas everlasting ADJ.ACC.PL.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Dixitque Deus — introduces a new divine speech, “And God said.”
Direct Object Clause: Hoc signum fœderis quod do inter me et vos — defines the content of God’s statement: “This is the sign of the covenant which I give between me and you.”
Expanded Phrase: et ad omnem animam viventem, quæ est vobiscum — extends covenant inclusion to all living beings with Noah.
Final Phrase: in generationes sempiternas — temporal phrase indicating perpetual duration: “for everlasting generations.”

Morphology

  1. Dixitque — Lemma: dico + que; Part of Speech: Verb (with enclitic conjunction); Form: Perfect indicative active 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “and said”; Notes: The enclitic -que connects this declaration with the preceding narrative.
  2. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of dixit; Translation: “God”; Notes: The divine speaker of the covenant discourse.
  3. Hoc — Lemma: hic, hæc, hoc; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject of est (understood); Translation: “this”; Notes: Points forward to the covenant sign to be identified.
  4. signum — Lemma: signum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Predicate nominative; Translation: “sign”; Notes: Indicates the visible token of divine promise.
  5. fœderis — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular neuter; Function: Dependent genitive modifying signum; Translation: “of the covenant”; Notes: Specifies the kind of sign.
  6. quod — Lemma: qui, quæ, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject of do; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers to the sign just mentioned.
  7. do — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative active 1st person singular; Function: Main verb within relative clause; Translation: “I give”; Notes: Expresses divine bestowal.
  8. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Indicates relationship; Translation: “between”; Notes: Marks mutuality of covenantal relationship.
  9. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative singular; Function: Object of inter; Translation: “me”; Notes: Refers to the divine party.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Links both covenant parties; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects me and vos.
  11. vos — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative plural; Function: Second object of inter; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to Noah and his descendants.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects the next phrase; Translation: “and”; Notes: Expands the covenant recipients.
  13. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Indicates inclusion; Translation: “to” or “with”; Notes: Adds further beneficiaries.
  14. omnem — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Modifies animam; Translation: “every”; Notes: Universal in scope.
  15. animam — Lemma: anima; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “soul” or “living being”; Notes: Refers to all living creatures.
  16. viventem — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Participle (present active); Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Modifies animam; Translation: “living”; Notes: Describes animate life sharing in the covenant.
  17. quæ — Lemma: qui, quæ, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Subject of est; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers back to animam viventem.
  18. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative active 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of relative clause; Translation: “is”; Notes: Links quæ and vobiscum.
  19. vobiscum — Lemma: vos + cum; Part of Speech: Preposition + pronoun; Form: Ablative plural; Function: Completes est; Translation: “with you”; Notes: Expresses shared participation.
  20. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Expresses temporal span; Translation: “for”; Notes: Indicates duration of covenant.
  21. generationes — Lemma: generatio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “generations”; Notes: Refers to human and animal posterity.
  22. sempiternas — Lemma: sempiternus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Modifies generationes; Translation: “everlasting”; Notes: Emphasizes perpetuity of divine promise.

 

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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