Genesis 36:36

Posted on February 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 36:36 Cumque mortuus esset Adad, regnavit pro eo Semla de Masreca.

And when Adad had died, Semla from Masreca reigned in his place.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 mortuus died PART.PERF.PASS.NOM.SG.M
3 esset had been / was V.3SG.PLUPERF.SUBJ.ACT (AUX)
4 Adad Hadad PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
5 regnavit reigned V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 pro in place of PREP+ABL
7 eo him PRON.PERS.ABL.SG.M
8 Semla Samlah PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
9 de from PREP+ABL
10 Masreca Masrekah PROP.NOUN.ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque mortuus esset Adad —
The conjunction cumque introduces a subordinate temporal clause meaning “and when.” The verb phrase mortuus esset (pluperfect subjunctive) denotes a completed prior action—Hadad’s death—serving as the circumstance for the following main clause.

Main Clause: regnavit pro eo Semla de Masreca —
The verb regnavit (“reigned”) forms the main predicate. The prepositional phrase pro eo (“in his place”) expresses substitution or succession. The subject Semla (“Samlah”) is further defined by the locative phrase de Masreca (“from Masrekah”), identifying his origin or domain.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + -que; Part of Speech: subordinating conjunction with enclitic; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: Combines subordination and coordination to mark continuation in narrative sequence.
  2. mortuus — Lemma: morior; Part of Speech: deponent verb (participle); Form: perfect participle nominative singular masculine; Function: part of periphrastic predicate; Translation: “died”; Notes: Passive in form but active in meaning; agrees with Adad.
  3. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: 3rd person singular pluperfect subjunctive active; Function: auxiliary of the periphrastic construction; Translation: “had been / was”; Notes: Subjunctive used due to temporal cum clause describing prior action.
  4. Adad — Lemma: Adad; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of mortuus esset; Translation: “Hadad”; Notes: Previous Edomite king, whose death precedes Semla’s reign.
  5. regnavit — Lemma: regnō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: “reigned”; Notes: Marks the establishment of a new ruler’s reign.
  6. pro — Lemma: prō; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses substitution; Translation: “in place of”; Notes: Common in genealogical and royal succession formulas.
  7. eo — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of pro; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Adad, the deceased king.
  8. Semla — Lemma: Semla; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of regnavit; Translation: “Samlah”; Notes: Successor to Hadad, identified as being from Masrekah.
  9. de — Lemma: dē; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates origin; Translation: “from”; Notes: Introduces geographical point of origin.
  10. Masreca — Lemma: Masreca; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: “Masrekah”; Notes: A city or region in Edom associated with Semla’s rule.

 

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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