Genesis 26:17

Posted on January 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 26:17 Et ille discedens, ut veniret ad torrentem Geraræ, habitaretque ibi:

And he departed to come to the valley of Gerara and to live there;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 ille he PRON.NOM.SG.M
3 discedens departing PRES.ACT.PART.NOM.SG.M
4 ut that / in order that CONJ
5 veniret might come 3SG.IMPF.SUBJ.ACT
6 ad to PREP+ACC
7 torrentem valley / wadi NOUN.ACC.SG.M
8 Geraræ of Gerar NOUN.GEN.SG.F
9 habitaretque and might dwell 3SG.IMPF.SUBJ.ACT
10 ibi there ADV

Syntax

Main Clause: Et ille discedens — participial phrase functioning as the main action (“And he, departing”).
Purpose Clause: ut veniret ad torrentem Geraræ, habitaretque ibi — introduced by ut, expressing intention (“that he might come to the valley of Gerar and dwell there”).
Subjects: ille — subject of veniret and habitaretque.
Objects: torrentem Geraræ — object of ad.
Phrase: habitaretque ibi — continuation by enclitic -que, extending the purpose.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: connects clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces continuation of Isaac’s movements.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Isaac.
  3. discedens — Lemma: discedo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative singular masculine; Function: expresses contemporaneous action; Translation: “departing”; Notes: Describes movement away from Abimelech.
  4. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “that / in order that”; Notes: Governs subjunctive verbs veniret and habitaretque.
  5. veniret — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect subjunctive active 3rd person singular; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “might come”; Notes: Subjunctive marks intended outcome.
  6. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses motion toward; Translation: “to”; Notes: Commonly used with verbs of motion.
  7. torrentem — Lemma: torrens; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “valley / wadi”; Notes: Refers to a dry streambed or ravine (Gerar’s valley).
  8. Geraræ — Lemma: Gerara; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies torrentem; Translation: “of Gerar”; Notes: Denotes location or territorial name.
  9. habitaretque — Lemma: habito; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect subjunctive active 3rd person singular + enclitic -que; Function: coordinated verb in purpose clause; Translation: “and might dwell”; Notes: Expresses intended settlement following departure.
  10. ibi — Lemma: ibi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: —; Function: adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates final destination of residence.

 

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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