BSV Reading 2: "The Forbidden Fruit": Genesis 2:16-17

2: The Forbidden Fruit

Genesis 2:16-17

God’s command to Adam

16  Praecepitque ei, dicens: “Ex omni ligno paradisi comede. 17  De ligno autem scientiae boni et mali ne comedas:        

 in quocumque enim die comederis, ex eo morte morieris.”

16  Praecepitque ei, dicens: And He commanded him, saying:; “dicens” is present active participle of dico, dicere, dixi, dictum.  “ei” is dative masculine singular of the pronoun is, ea, id.  “praecepit” is third person singular perfect indicative active of praecipio, praecipere, praecepi, praeceptum, “to enjoin, order, command.” 

ex omni ligno paradisi comede Eat of every tree in the garden; “comede” is present imperative of comedo, comedere, comedi, comesum, “to eat.”  “paradisi” is genitive singular of paradisus, paradisi, m., “park, orchard; Eden.” “ligno” is ablative singular of lignum, ligni, n.  “omni” modifies “ligno.” 

17  De ligno autem scientiae boni et mali ne comedas: But from the tree of knowledge of good and evil do not eat; “comedas” is second person singular present active subjunctive of comedo; prohibitive subjunctive.  “mali” is genitive singular of the neuter substantive malus, mali, m., “evil.”  “boni” is genitive singular of the neuter substantive bonum, boni, n.  “good.”  “scientiae” is genitive singular of the first declension noun scientia, scientiae, f. , “knowledge.” 

in quocumque enim die comederis, ex eo morte morieris.” For on whatever day you do eat thereof, by that death you shall die; “morieris” is second person singular future indicative active of the deponent morior, mori, mortuus sum, “to die, decay, wither.”  “morte” is ablative singular of mors, mortis, f., “death, annihilation.  “eo” is an indeclinable adverb, which with the ablative “morte”=“therefore, because, for that reason.”  “comederis” is second person singular future perfect indicative active of comedo.  “die” is ablative singular of the fifth declension noun dies, diei, m./f., “day”;  ablative of time within which.  “quocumque” is an indeclinable adverb=”whatsoever, wheresoever.”

Running Vocabulary

16 dico, dicere, dixi, dictum, “to say, speak.” praecipio, praecipere, praecepi, praeceptum, “to enjoin, order, command.” comedo, comedere, comedi, comesum, “to eat.”  paradisus, paradisi, m., “park, orchard; Eden.” lignum, ligni, n. , “tree, wood.”

17 malus, mali, m., “evil.” bonum, boni, n.  “good.” scientia, scientiae, f. , “knowledge.”  morior, mori, mortuus sum, “to die, decay, wither.”    dies, diei, m./f., “day” quocumque, indecl. adv., “wheresoever, whatsoever.”