Genesis 11:20

Posted on January 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 11:20 Vixit autem Reu triginta duobus annis, et genuit Sarug.

And Reu lived thirty-two years, and he begot Sarug.

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

Syntax

Main Clause: Vixit autem Reu triginta duobus annis — Reu is the subject, vixit is the main verb, autem connects this genealogical entry to the previous, and triginta duobus annis is an ablative of duration meaning “for thirty-two years.”
Coordinate Clause: et genuit Sarug — the conjunction et introduces a second clause, indicating that Reu fathered Sarug, continuing the genealogical lineage.

Morphology

  1. Vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “lived”; Notes: Describes Reu’s life duration before fatherhood.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction/adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional connective; Translation: “and” or “moreover”; Notes: Maintains narrative continuity within the genealogical sequence.
  3. Reu — Lemma: Reu; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “Reu”; Notes: Son of Phaleg, father of Sarug.
  4. triginta — Lemma: triginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Modifies annis; Translation: “thirty”; Notes: Used with duobus to express the compound number “thirty-two.”
  5. duobus — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: Numeral adjective; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Completes compound numeral; Translation: “two”; Notes: Combined with triginta to denote 32.
  6. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Ablative of duration; Translation: “years”; Notes: Expresses length of time before Reu begot Sarug.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects the clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Typical connective in genealogical formulae.
  8. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of the second clause; Translation: “begot”; Notes: Expresses paternal generation event.
  9. Sarug — Lemma: Sarug; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of genuit; Translation: “Sarug”; Notes: The next patriarchal descendant in the genealogical chain.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Genesis. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.