Genesis 14:1

Posted on January 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 14:1 Factum est autem in illo tempore, ut Amraphel rex Senaar, et Arioch rex Ponti, et Chodorlahomor rex Elamitarum, et Thadal rex Gentium

And it came to pass in that time, that Amraphel king of Senaar, and Arioch king of Pontus, and Chodorlahomor king of the Elamites, and Thadal king of Nations,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Factum it happened NOM.SG.N (PERF.PASS.PART.)
2 est was / happened 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND (AUX)
3 autem but / and CONJ
4 in in / during PREP+ABL
5 illo that ABL.SG.M (DEM.ADJ.)
6 tempore time ABL.SG.N
7 ut that / when CONJ
8 Amraphel Amraphel NOM.SG.M (INDECL. HEBR.)
9 rex king NOM.SG.M
10 Senaar of Shinar GEN.SG.F (INDECL. HEBR.)
11 et and CONJ
12 Arioch Arioch NOM.SG.M
13 rex king NOM.SG.M
14 Ponti of Pontus GEN.SG.M
15 et and CONJ
16 Chodorlahomor Chodorlahomor NOM.SG.M (INDECL. HEBR.)
17 rex king NOM.SG.M
18 Elamitarum of the Elamites GEN.PL.M
19 et and CONJ
20 Thadal Thadal NOM.SG.M (INDECL. HEBR.)
21 rex king NOM.SG.M
22 Gentium of Nations GEN.PL.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Factum est autem in illo tempore — an impersonal construction meaning “and it came to pass in that time.”
Subordinate Clause: ut Amraphel rex Senaar… — introduces the narrative setting, functioning as an explanatory or temporal clause.
Series of Subjects: Amraphel… Arioch… Chodorlahomor… Thadal — four kings listed appositionally with their respective dominions in the genitive case.
Ellipsis: The main verb after ut is implied (e.g., “coalition” or “rose up”), typical of Biblical Latin narrative style.

Morphology

  1. Factum — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb (participle used substantively); Form: Perfect passive participle, nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject of impersonal verb phrase; Translation: “it happened”; Notes: Common biblical formula introducing a new narrative section.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect indicative active, 3rd person singular; Function: Auxiliary forming impersonal perfect; Translation: “was / occurred”; Notes: Creates idiomatic impersonal structure.
  3. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional connector; Translation: “and / but”; Notes: Signals continuation or mild contrast.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Expresses temporal setting; Translation: “in / during”; Notes: Marks narrative time frame.
  5. illo — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: Demonstrative adjective; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Modifies tempore; Translation: “that”; Notes: Refers to a specific historical period.
  6. tempore — Lemma: tempus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter; Function: Object of in; Translation: “time”; Notes: Denotes the temporal setting of the kings’ actions.
  7. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces subordinate temporal or explanatory clause; Translation: “that / when”; Notes: Omitted main verb must be inferred contextually.
  8. Amraphel — Lemma: Amraphel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine (indeclinable Hebrew name); Function: Subject; Translation: “Amraphel”; Notes: Babylonian ruler associated with Shinar.
  9. rex — Lemma: rex; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition to Amraphel; Translation: “king”; Notes: Title specifying role of subject.
  10. Senaar — Lemma: Senaar; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular feminine (indeclinable Hebrew place name); Function: Genitive of dominion; Translation: “of Shinar”; Notes: Region in Mesopotamia, often equated with Babylon.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects coordinate subjects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links four royal names.
  12. Arioch — Lemma: Arioch; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject in series; Translation: “Arioch”; Notes: A ruler allied in the campaign.
  13. rex — Lemma: rex; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition to Arioch; Translation: “king”; Notes: Parallel in construction to earlier rex.
  14. Ponti — Lemma: Pontus; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Genitive of dominion; Translation: “of Pontus”; Notes: Likely textual variant; may refer to “Ellasar” in Hebrew text.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects next subject; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple coordination marker.
  16. Chodorlahomor — Lemma: Chodorlahomor; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine (indeclinable Hebrew name); Function: Subject; Translation: “Chodorlahomor”; Notes: Likely the Elamite king Kudur-Lagamar.
  17. rex — Lemma: rex; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition to Chodorlahomor; Translation: “king”; Notes: Maintains repetitive royal formula.
  18. Elamitarum — Lemma: Elamita; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive plural masculine; Function: Genitive of dominion; Translation: “of the Elamites”; Notes: Identifies ethnic rule under Chodorlahomor.
  19. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links final element; Translation: “and”; Notes: Serial connective.
  20. Thadal — Lemma: Thadal; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine (indeclinable Hebrew name); Function: Subject; Translation: “Thadal”; Notes: Corresponds to Hebrew “Tidal,” ruler of Nations.
  21. rex — Lemma: rex; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition to Thadal; Translation: “king”; Notes: Continues pattern of royal apposition.
  22. Gentium — Lemma: gens; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive plural feminine; Function: Genitive of dominion; Translation: “of Nations”; Notes: Suggests rule over a confederation of peoples rather than one nation.

 

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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