Genesis 25:4

Posted on January 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

4 At vero ex Madian ortus est Epha, et Opher, et Henoch, et Abida, et Eldaa: omnes hi filii Ceturæ.

But truly from Madian came Epha, and Opher, and Henoch, and Abida, and Eldaa; all these were the sons of Cetura.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 At but CONJ
2 vero truly ADV
3 ex from PREP+ABL
4 Madian Midian ABL.SG.M
5 ortus arose NOM.SG.M.PERF.PTCP
6 est is 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
7 Epha Ephah NOM.SG.M
8 et and CONJ
9 Opher Epher NOM.SG.M
10 et and CONJ
11 Henoch Hanoch NOM.SG.M
12 et and CONJ
13 Abida Abida NOM.SG.M
14 et and CONJ
15 Eldaa Eldaah NOM.SG.M
16 omnes all NOM.PL.M
17 hi these NOM.PL.M
18 filii sons NOM.PL.M
19 Ceturæ of Keturah GEN.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: At vero (Adversative phrase introducing contrast) + ex Madian (Ablative of source) + ortus est (Periphrastic perfect) + Epha, et Opher, et Henoch, et Abida, et Eldaa (Compound subject).
Second Clause: omnes hi filii Ceturæ — complete nominal clause, meaning “all these were the sons of Cetura,” with omnes hi (subject) and filii Ceturæ (predicate nominative).
Clause Function: Two connected genealogical statements; the first describing lineage from Madian, the second summarizing total descent from Cetura.

Morphology

  1. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces contrastive clause; Translation: “but”; Notes: Often marks narrative transition or shift in focus.
  2. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Emphasizes affirmation; Translation: “truly” or “indeed”; Notes: Commonly strengthens contrastive conjunctions like at.
  3. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Indicates origin or source; Translation: “from”; Notes: Here introduces the lineage origin “from Madian.”
  4. Madian — Lemma: Madian; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Object of the preposition ex; Translation: “Madian”; Notes: Refers to the progenitor Midian, son of Abraham and Cetura.
  5. ortus — Lemma: orior; Part of Speech: Deponent verb (participle); Form: Nominative singular masculine perfect participle; Function: Predicate adjective with est; Translation: “arose” or “came forth”; Notes: Used idiomatically to mean “descended” or “originated.”
  6. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: Auxiliary verb completing ortus est; Translation: “is/was”; Notes: Forms a periphrastic perfect tense with participle.
  7. Epha — Lemma: Epha; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of ortus est; Translation: “Epha”; Notes: One of Madian’s descendants, treated as nominative in genealogical context.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links coordinated subjects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Polysyndetic repetition underscores separate lineage identities.
  9. Opher — Lemma: Opher; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Coordinated subject; Translation: “Opher”; Notes: Listed among descendants of Madian.
  10. Henoch — Lemma: Henoch; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Coordinated subject; Translation: “Henoch”; Notes: Latinized from Hebrew Ḥanok; one of the Midianite clans.
  11. Abida — Lemma: Abida; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Coordinated subject; Translation: “Abida”; Notes: Name preserved as a distinct descendant.
  12. Eldaa — Lemma: Eldaa; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Final coordinated subject; Translation: “Eldaa”; Notes: Completes the genealogical sequence.
  13. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective/pronoun; Form: Nominative plural masculine; Function: Subject modifier in second clause; Translation: “all”; Notes: Emphasizes completeness of the listed names.
  14. hi — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Nominative plural masculine; Function: Subject pronoun; Translation: “these”; Notes: Refers back to previously mentioned names.
  15. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative plural masculine; Function: Predicate nominative; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Defines the genealogical relationship.
  16. Ceturæ — Lemma: Cetura; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular feminine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying filii; Translation: “of Cetura”; Notes: Identifies the matriarchal origin of the lineage.

 

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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