Genesis 5:22

Posted on January 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 5:22 Et ambulavit Henoch cum Deo: et vixit, postquam genuit Mathusalam, trecentis annis, et genuit filios et filias.

And Henoch walked with God, and he lived after he had begotten Mathusala three hundred years, and he begot sons and daughters.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 ambulavit walked VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Henoch Henoch PROPN.NOM.SG.M
4 cum with PREP+ABL
5 Deo God NOUN.ABL.SG.M
6 et and CONJ
7 vixit lived VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 postquam after CONJ.SUBORD
9 genuit had begotten VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 Mathusalam Mathusala PROPN.ACC.SG.M
11 trecentis three hundred NUM.ABL.PL.M
12 annis years NOUN.ABL.PL.M
13 et and CONJ
14 genuit begot VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
15 filios sons NOUN.ACC.PL.M
16 et and CONJ
17 filias daughters NOUN.ACC.PL.F

Syntax

The verse opens uniquely with Et ambulavit Henoch cum Deo, a distinctive clause in the genealogy emphasizing moral and spiritual intimacy rather than mere chronology.
Here, Henoch is the subject, ambulavit is the main verb, and cum Deo forms a prepositional phrase (ablative of accompaniment) meaning “with God.”
The following clause et vixit, postquam genuit Mathusalam, trecentis annis resumes the typical genealogical sequence, with postquam genuit Mathusalam as a temporal clause (“after he had begotten Mathusala”) and trecentis annis as an ablative of time how long (“for three hundred years”).
Finally, et genuit filios et filias completes the genealogical formula with genuit as the main verb and filios et filias as coordinated direct objects.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: introduces the clause; Translation: and; Notes: connects Enoch’s record to the preceding genealogy.
  2. ambulavit — Lemma: ambulo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: walked; Notes: denotes habitual fellowship or conduct, not mere movement.
  3. Henoch — Lemma: Henoch; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “ambulavit” and “vixit”; Translation: Henoch; Notes: patriarch in Seth’s line distinguished by his close walk with God.
  4. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces the phrase of association; Translation: with; Notes: denotes fellowship or companionship.
  5. Deo — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition “cum”; Translation: God; Notes: expresses divine companionship, emphasizing Enoch’s piety.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: links Enoch’s walk with his continued life.
  7. vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of the second clause; Translation: lived; Notes: resumes standard genealogical narrative form.
  8. postquam — Lemma: postquam; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces a temporal clause; Translation: after; Notes: governs a perfect indicative verb.
  9. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of subordinate clause; Translation: had begotten; Notes: refers to the birth of Mathusala preceding Enoch’s continued life.
  10. Mathusalam — Lemma: Mathusala; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: Mathusala; Notes: son of Henoch, known for his longevity.
  11. trecentis — Lemma: trecenti; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: three hundred; Notes: expresses duration of life after begetting Mathusala.
  12. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: ablative of time how long; Translation: years; Notes: specifies the period of continued life.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins final clause; Translation: and; Notes: introduces the concluding genealogical formula.
  14. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of last clause; Translation: begot; Notes: continues formula of procreation beyond named heir.
  15. filios — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: sons; Notes: first coordinated object of the verb.
  16. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins “filios” and “filias”; Translation: and; Notes: connects the masculine and feminine nouns.
  17. filias — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: daughters; Notes: completes the genealogical formula of descendants.

 

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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