Genesis 11:16

Posted on January 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 11:16 Vixit autem Heber triginta quatuor annis, et genuit Phaleg.

And Heber lived thirty-four years, and he begot Phaleg.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vixit lived 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 autem but / and CONJ.ADV
3 Heber Heber NOM.SG.M
4 triginta thirty NUM.INDECL
5 quatuor four NUM.INDECL
6 annis years ABL.PL.M
7 et and CONJ
8 genuit begot 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 Phaleg Phaleg ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Vixit autem Heber triginta quatuor annis — subject Heber with verb vixit and ablative of duration triginta quatuor annis (“for thirty-four years”). The conjunction autem connects this statement to the previous genealogy, signaling narrative continuity.
Coordinate Clause: et genuit Phaleg — conjunction et joins a second clause describing the procreation of Phaleg, continuing the genealogical sequence.

Morphology

  1. Vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “lived”; Notes: Denotes the lifespan before fatherhood, typical of genealogical accounts.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction/adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional conjunction; Translation: “and” or “but”; Notes: Connects genealogical entries without strong contrast.
  3. Heber — Lemma: Heber; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “Heber”; Notes: Ancestor associated with the ethnonym “Hebrew.”
  4. triginta — Lemma: triginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Modifies annis; Translation: “thirty”; Notes: Used with quatuor to express “thirty-four.”
  5. quatuor — Lemma: quatuor; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Modifies annis; Translation: “four”; Notes: Completes the compound numeral phrase.
  6. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Ablative of duration; Translation: “years”; Notes: Indicates the time span before Heber begot Phaleg.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects main verbs; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins the clauses in genealogical succession.
  8. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of second clause; Translation: “begot”; Notes: Standard verb for paternal lineage in Genesis.
  9. Phaleg — Lemma: Phaleg; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of genuit; Translation: “Phaleg”; Notes: The next patriarch in the genealogical record, whose name is linked to the division of the earth.

 

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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