Genesis 5:25

Posted on January 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 5:25 Vixit quoque Mathusala centum octoginta septem annis, et genuit Lamech.

And Mathusala also lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and he begot Lamech.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vixit lived VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 quoque also ADV
3 Mathusala Mathusala PROPN.NOM.SG.M
4 centum hundred NUM.INDECL
5 octoginta eighty NUM.INDECL
6 septem seven NUM.INDECL
7 annis years NOUN.ABL.PL.M
8 et and CONJ
9 genuit begot VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 Lamech Lamech PROPN.ACC.SG.M

Syntax

The clause Vixit quoque Mathusala centum octoginta septem annis states the duration of Mathusala’s life before fatherhood. The subject Mathusala pairs with the main verb vixit, while centum octoginta septem annis serves as an ablative of time how long (“for one hundred and eighty-seven years”). The adverb quoque adds continuity (“also”), maintaining the genealogical rhythm.
The coordinating clause et genuit Lamech continues the sequence, with genuit as the main verb and Lamech as the direct object, expressing the birth of the next patriarch.

Morphology

  1. Vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: lived; Notes: denotes completed duration before fatherhood.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: additive adverb; Translation: also; Notes: emphasizes genealogical continuity.
  3. Mathusala — Lemma: Mathusala; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “vixit” and “genuit”; Translation: Mathusala; Notes: patriarch known for the greatest recorded longevity.
  4. centum — Lemma: centum; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: hundred; Notes: first component of the compound numeral phrase.
  5. octoginta — Lemma: octoginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: eighty; Notes: second component in the number.
  6. septem — Lemma: septem; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: seven; Notes: completes the total of 187 years.
  7. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: ablative of time how long; Translation: years; Notes: expresses duration before fathering Lamech.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: continues genealogical pattern.
  9. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of the second clause; Translation: begot; Notes: typical genealogical verb used in patriarchal records.
  10. Lamech — Lemma: Lamech; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: Lamech; Notes: identifies Mathusala’s son and Noah’s father.

 

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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