Genesis 9:16

Posted on January 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 9:16 Eritque arcus in nubibus, et videbo illum, et recordabor fœderis sempiterni quod pactum est inter Deum et omnem animam viventem universæ carnis quæ est super terram.

And the bow shall be in the clouds, and I will see it, and I will remember the everlasting covenant which has been made between God and every living soul of all flesh that is upon the earth.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Eritque and shall be 3SG.FUT.IND.ACT
2 arcus bow N.NOM.SG.M
3 in in PREP+ABL
4 nubibus clouds N.ABL.PL.F
5 et and CONJ
6 videbo I will see 1SG.FUT.IND.ACT
7 illum it PRON.ACC.SG.M
8 et and CONJ
9 recordabor I will remember 1SG.FUT.IND.DEP
10 fœderis of the covenant N.GEN.SG.N
11 sempiterni everlasting ADJ.GEN.SG.N
12 quod which REL.PRON.NOM.SG.N
13 pactum has been made PART.PERF.PASS.NOM.SG.N
14 est is 3SG.PRES.IND.ACT
15 inter between PREP+ACC
16 Deum God N.ACC.SG.M
17 et and CONJ
18 omnem every ADJ.ACC.SG.F
19 animam soul N.ACC.SG.F
20 viventem living PART.PRES.ACT.ACC.SG.F
21 universæ of all ADJ.GEN.SG.F
22 carnis flesh N.GEN.SG.F
23 quæ which REL.PRON.NOM.SG.F
24 est is 3SG.PRES.IND.ACT
25 super upon PREP+ACC
26 terram earth N.ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Eritque arcus in nubibus — states the continuous presence of the rainbow: “And the bow shall be in the clouds.”
Main Clause 2: et videbo illum — expresses divine perception: “and I will see it.”
Main Clause 3: et recordabor fœderis sempiterni — divine remembrance of the everlasting covenant.
Relative Clause: quod pactum est inter Deum et omnem animam viventem universæ carnis quæ est super terram — explains the covenant’s scope and participants, embracing all living beings on earth.
Word Order: The arrangement emphasizes the divine sequence of sight, memory, and covenantal mercy.

Morphology

  1. Eritque — Lemma: sum + que; Part of Speech: Verb (with enclitic conjunction); Form: Future indicative active 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “and shall be”; Notes: Indicates continuing presence of the bow as a sign.
  2. arcus — Lemma: arcus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of erit; Translation: “bow”; Notes: Refers to the rainbow as the visible sign of divine promise.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Indicates location; Translation: “in”; Notes: Specifies the rainbow’s placement in the clouds.
  4. nubibus — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural feminine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “clouds”; Notes: Represents the natural backdrop for the covenant sign.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Links clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins sequential divine actions.
  6. videbo — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future indicative active 1st person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “I will see”; Notes: Expresses divine observation preceding remembrance.
  7. illum — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: Pronoun (demonstrative); Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of videbo; Translation: “it”; Notes: Refers to the rainbow seen by God.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Links next clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues sequential divine actions.
  9. recordabor — Lemma: recordor; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent); Form: Future indicative deponent 1st person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “I will remember”; Notes: Indicates divine mindfulness and covenantal faithfulness.
  10. fœderis — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular neuter; Function: Object of recordabor; Translation: “of the covenant”; Notes: Refers to the established divine promise.
  11. sempiterni — Lemma: sempiternus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Genitive singular neuter; Function: Modifies fœderis; Translation: “everlasting”; Notes: Emphasizes the covenant’s eternal nature.
  12. quod — Lemma: qui, quæ, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject of pactum est; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces relative clause explaining the covenant.
  13. pactum — Lemma: paciscor; Part of Speech: Participle (perfect passive); Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Predicate of quod; Translation: “has been made”; Notes: Refers to the concluded agreement.
  14. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative active 3rd person singular; Function: Auxiliary; Translation: “is”; Notes: Forms perfect passive periphrasis with pactum.
  15. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Denotes relation; Translation: “between”; Notes: Marks covenant participants.
  16. Deum — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of inter; Translation: “God”; Notes: First party of the covenant.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects covenant participants; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links God with creation.
  18. omnem — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Modifies animam; Translation: “every”; Notes: Indicates universality of life included in the covenant.
  19. animam — Lemma: anima; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Object of inter (implied parallel structure); Translation: “soul”; Notes: Refers to every living creature.
  20. viventem — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Participle (present active); Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Modifies animam; Translation: “living”; Notes: Emphasizes active, breathing life.
  21. universæ — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Genitive singular feminine; Function: Modifies carnis; Translation: “of all”; Notes: Indicates collective entirety of living beings.
  22. carnis — Lemma: caro; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular feminine; Function: Genitive of relation modifying animam viventem; Translation: “flesh”; Notes: Refers to corporeal creation.
  23. quæ — Lemma: qui, quæ, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Subject of est; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers back to carnis.
  24. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative active 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of final relative clause; Translation: “is”; Notes: Asserts existence upon the earth.
  25. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Indicates position; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Denotes physical location on earth’s surface.
  26. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Object of super; Translation: “earth”; Notes: The terrestrial realm of living creation.

 

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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