Genesis 38:10

Posted on February 7, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 38:10 Et idcirco percussit eum Dominus, quod rem detestabilem faceret.

And therefore the LORD struck him, because he did a detestable thing.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 idcirco therefore ADV
3 percussit struck / smote V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 eum him PRON.PERS.ACC.SG.M
5 Dominus the LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
6 quod because / that CONJ
7 rem thing NOUN.ACC.SG.F
8 detestabilem detestable ADJ.ACC.SG.F
9 faceret he was doing / did V.3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.ACT

Syntax

Main clause: Et idcirco percussit eum Dominus — coordinating conjunction et joins this sentence to the previous; idcirco introduces the reason (“therefore”); subject Dominus (“the LORD”) follows the verb percussit for emphasis, showing divine causation; eum is the direct object (“him,” i.e., Onan).

Subordinate causal clause: quod rem detestabilem faceret — conjunction quod introduces cause (“because”); rem detestabilem is a noun–adjective phrase (“a detestable thing”) functioning as object of faceret (imperfect subjunctive expressing continuous or repeated sinful action).

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: joins this statement with the preceding narrative; Translation: “and”; Notes: Indicates continuation of the narrative flow.
  2. idcirco — Lemma: idcircō; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces reason or consequence; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: From *id + circum hoc*, literally “on that account.”
  3. percussit — Lemma: percutiō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: “struck / smote”; Notes: Expresses decisive divine action of punishment.
  4. eum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of percussit; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Onan, object of divine judgment.
  5. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of percussit; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, hence capitalized “LORD.”
  6. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: subordinating conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: “because”; Notes: Often interchangeable with quia in Biblical Latin for explaining divine motives.
  7. rem — Lemma: rēs; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of faceret; Translation: “thing”; Notes: Refers to the sinful act of deliberately preventing offspring.
  8. detestabilem — Lemma: dētestābilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies rem; Translation: “detestable”; Notes: Denotes moral abhorrence in the divine perspective.
  9. faceret — Lemma: faciō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect subjunctive active; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “he was doing / did”; Notes: Subjunctive used in causal clause after quod, expressing habitual wrongdoing prompting divine judgment.

 

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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