Exodus 1:7

Posted on February 20, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 1:7 filii Israel creverunt, et quasi germinantes multiplicati sunt: ac roborati nimis, impleverunt terram.

the sons of Israel increased, and as though sprouting they multiplied; and being exceedingly strengthened, they filled the land.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 filii sons NOM.PL.M
2 Israel Israel GEN.SG.INVAR
3 creverunt they increased 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
4 et and CONJ
5 quasi as though ADV
6 germinantes sprouting NOM.PL.M PRES.ACT.PART
7 multiplicati having multiplied NOM.PL.M PERF.PART.PASS
8 sunt are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND (AUX)
9 ac and CONJ
10 roborati having been strengthened NOM.PL.M PERF.PART.PASS
11 nimis exceedingly ADV
12 impleverunt they filled 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
13 terram land ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: filii Israel creverunt — subject + finite verb.
Comparative Phrase: quasi germinantes — comparative modifier, describing the manner of increase.
Verb Phrase: multiplicati sunt — passive perfect (“were multiplied”).
Additional Clause: ac roborati nimis — strengthened exceedingly; participial phrase.
Final Clause: impleverunt terram — completed action with direct object (“they filled the land”).

Morphology

  1. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Refers to descendants or people of Israel.
  2. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular invariable; Function: possessive modifier of “filii”; Translation: “of Israel”; Notes: Indeclinable form in Latin.
  3. creverunt — Lemma: cresco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “they increased”; Notes: Describes growth in number or strength.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects verbs/phrases; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple connective.
  5. quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: comparative marker; Translation: “as though”; Notes: Introduces vivid imagery.
  6. germinantes — Lemma: germino; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative plural masculine present active participle; Function: comparative descriptive participle; Translation: “sprouting”; Notes: Evokes agricultural growth imagery.
  7. multiplicati — Lemma: multiplico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative plural masculine perfect passive participle; Function: predicate of passive construction; Translation: “having been multiplied”; Notes: Completed action requiring auxiliary “sunt.”
  8. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active indicative; Function: auxiliary forming passive perfect; Translation: “are”; Notes: Helps form compound passive verb.
  9. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: strong connective (“and in addition”); Translation: “and”; Notes: Slightly stronger than “et.”
  10. roborati — Lemma: roboro; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative plural masculine perfect passive participle; Function: modifying the subject; Translation: “having been strengthened”; Notes: Intensifies description of Israel’s growth.
  11. nimis — Lemma: nimis; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adverb modifying “roborati”; Translation: “exceedingly”; Notes: Emphasizes great strength.
  12. impleverunt — Lemma: impleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of final clause; Translation: “they filled”; Notes: Marks the fullness of Israel’s presence.
  13. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: “land”; Notes: Likely refers to the land of Egypt.

 

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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