Genesis 25:9

Posted on January 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 25:9 Et sepelierunt eum Isaac et Ismael filii sui in spelunca duplici, quæ sita est in agro Ephron filii Seor Hethæi, e regione Mambre,

And Isaac and Ismael his sons buried him in the double cave which is situated in the field of Ephron, the son of Seor the Hethite, opposite Mambre,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 sepelierunt they buried 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
3 eum him ACC.SG.M PRON
4 Isaac Isaac NOM.SG.M PROPN
5 et and CONJ
6 Ismael Ishmael NOM.SG.M PROPN
7 filii sons NOM.PL.M
8 sui his GEN.SG.M POSS.ADJ
9 in in PREP+ABL
10 spelunca cave ABL.SG.F
11 duplici double ABL.SG.F ADJ
12 quæ which NOM.SG.F REL.PRON
13 sita situated NOM.SG.F PTC.PERF.PASS
14 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
15 in in PREP+ABL
16 agro field ABL.SG.M
17 Ephron Ephron GEN.SG.M PROPN
18 filii of the son GEN.SG.M
19 Seor Seor GEN.SG.M PROPN
20 Hethæi Hittite GEN.SG.M
21 e from / opposite PREP+ABL
22 regione region / area ABL.SG.F
23 Mambre Mamre GEN.SG.M PROPN

Syntax

Main Clause: Et sepelierunt eum Isaac et Ismael filii sui — coordinated proper names Isaac et Ismael serve as compound subjects. The perfect verb sepelierunt denotes completed burial. The phrase filii sui clarifies their filial relationship to Abraham, whose burial is implied by eum.
Relative Clause: quæ sita est in agro Ephron filii Seor Hethæi — describes the cave; sita est (perfect passive participle + verb of being) forms a periphrastic passive construction, meaning “which is situated.” The genitive chain specifies ownership: the field belonged to Ephron, son of Seor, of the Hittites.
Prepositional Phrase: e regione Mambre — literally “from the region of Mamre,” idiomatically “opposite Mamre.” It provides geographical precision, consistent with earlier covenant and burial scenes in Genesis.
The syntax mirrors solemnity and ritual completeness—both sons united in honoring their father, the burial described with formal geographic and genealogical precision.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates the clause with the preceding narrative; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple connector continuing the narrative sequence.
  2. sepelierunt — Lemma: sepelio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Plural; Function: Main verb; Translation: “they buried”; Notes: Describes completed ritual action of burial.
  3. eum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronoun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Direct object of sepelierunt; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Abraham, subject of burial.
  4. Isaac — Lemma: Isaac; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject of sepelierunt; Translation: “Isaac”; Notes: First of the two sons performing the burial.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects compound subjects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects Isaac and Ishmael as co-burial participants.
  6. Ismael — Lemma: Ismael; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “Ishmael”; Notes: Second son of Abraham, present in reconciliation through burial duty.
  7. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Plural Masculine; Function: Apposition to Isaac et Ismael; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Clarifies relationship to Abraham.
  8. sui — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Adjective (Reflexive Possessive); Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying filii; Translation: “his”; Notes: Refers reflexively to Abraham.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Ablative; Function: Indicates location; Translation: “in”; Notes: Locative preposition introducing burial site.
  10. spelunca — Lemma: spelunca; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Feminine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “cave”; Notes: Burial place known as the Cave of Machpelah.
  11. duplici — Lemma: duplex; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Ablative Singular Feminine; Function: Adjectival modifier of spelunca; Translation: “double”; Notes: Descriptive epithet of the cave’s structure.
  12. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative Pronoun; Form: Nominative Singular Feminine; Function: Subject of sita est; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers to the cave.
  13. sita — Lemma: sino (via situs); Part of Speech: Verb (Participle); Form: Nominative Singular Feminine Perfect Passive Participle; Function: Predicate adjective; Translation: “situated”; Notes: Describes location statively.
  14. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Copula; Translation: “is”; Notes: Forms periphrastic construction with sita.
  15. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Ablative; Function: Indicates position; Translation: “in”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of geographical precision.
  16. agro — Lemma: ager; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Masculine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “field”; Notes: Refers to Ephron’s property in Hebron region.
  17. Ephron — Lemma: Ephron; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Possessive modifier; Translation: “of Ephron”; Notes: Landowner from whom Abraham purchased the field.
  18. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Genitive of parentage; Translation: “son of”; Notes: Expresses Ephron’s lineage.
  19. Seor — Lemma: Seor; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Possessive relation; Translation: “of Seor”; Notes: Father of Ephron, a Hittite.
  20. Hethæi — Lemma: Hethæus; Part of Speech: Noun (Ethnic); Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Descriptive genitive; Translation: “of the Hittite”; Notes: Identifies ethnic origin from Heth.
  21. e — Lemma: e (ex); Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Ablative; Function: Spatial relation; Translation: “from / opposite”; Notes: Used idiomatically with regione meaning “opposite.”
  22. regione — Lemma: regio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Feminine; Function: Object of e; Translation: “region”; Notes: Specifies relative location.
  23. Mambre — Lemma: Mambre; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Genitive complement to regione; Translation: “of Mamre”; Notes: Region associated with Abraham’s altars and divine encounters.

Notes

  • The verse forms a precise geographical record of Abraham’s burial, uniting Isaac and Ishmael — a reconciliation gesture between half-brothers.
  • spelunca duplici (Cave of Machpelah) serves as the family tomb, first introduced in Genesis 23; its repetition underscores covenantal permanence.
  • e regione Mambre locates the burial near Hebron, a sacred site of patriarchal significance and divine visitation.
  • The grammatical structure reflects solemn Hebrew parallelism in Latin form: verbs and genitives ordered to emphasize descent, place, and fulfillment.
  • filii sui and eum close the Abraham cycle — both sons performing filial duty, restoring harmony at their father’s death.

 

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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