Genesis 11:19

Posted on January 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 11:19 Vixitque Phaleg postquam genuit Reu, ducentis novem annis, et genuit filios et filias.

And Phaleg lived, after he begot Reu, two hundred and nine years; and he begot sons and daughters.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vixitque and lived 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC
2 Phaleg Phaleg NOM.SG.M
3 postquam after CONJ.TEMP
4 genuit begot 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 Reu Reu ACC.SG.M
6 ducentis two hundred ABL.PL.M
7 novem nine NUM.INDECL
8 annis years ABL.PL.M
9 et and CONJ
10 genuit begot 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 filios sons ACC.PL.M
12 et and CONJ
13 filias daughters ACC.PL.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Vixitque Phaleg — subject Phaleg and verb vixit describe his life after fathering Reu. The enclitic “-que” connects to the previous genealogical statement.
Temporal Clause: postquam genuit Reu — introduced by postquam, indicating that the period of 209 years follows the birth of Reu.
Ablative Phrase: ducentis novem annis — ablative of duration meaning “for two hundred and nine years.”
Coordinate Clause: et genuit filios et filias — expresses the continuation of lineage beyond the named heir, maintaining the genealogical pattern.

Morphology

  1. Vixitque — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular + enclitic “-que”; Function: Main verb; Translation: “and lived”; Notes: The enclitic joins this account to the previous genealogical sequence.
  2. Phaleg — Lemma: Phaleg; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “Phaleg”; Notes: Patriarch descended from Heber, preceding Reu in the lineage.
  3. postquam — Lemma: postquam; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Temporal; Function: Introduces subordinate clause referring to a prior event; Translation: “after”; Notes: Common marker of time in genealogical formulae.
  4. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Verb in subordinate temporal clause; Translation: “begot”; Notes: Marks the birth of Reu as temporal reference point.
  5. Reu — Lemma: Reu; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of genuit; Translation: “Reu”; Notes: Successor to Phaleg, continuing the line toward Serug.
  6. ducentis — Lemma: ducenti; Part of Speech: Numeral adjective; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Modifies annis; Translation: “two hundred”; Notes: Used with ablative of time to indicate duration.
  7. novem — Lemma: novem; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Complements ducentis; Translation: “nine”; Notes: Completes the number 209.
  8. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Ablative of duration; Translation: “years”; Notes: Expresses the period of Phaleg’s life after the birth of Reu.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects the next main clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links genealogical statements sequentially.
  10. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of coordinate clause; Translation: “he begot”; Notes: Expresses continued fertility beyond the primary heir.
  11. filios — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Object of genuit; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Formulaic mention of additional male offspring.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects paired objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links filios and filias.
  13. filias — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Object of genuit; Translation: “daughters”; Notes: Completes the recurring genealogical expression of lineage continuity.

 

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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