Genesis 1:15

Posted on January 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 1:15 ut luceant in firmamento cæli, et illuminent terram. Et factum est ita.

so that they may shine in the firmament of heaven, and may give light to the earth. And it was done so.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ut so that CONJ.SUB
2 luceant they may shine 3PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
3 in in PREP+ABL
4 firmamento firmament ABL.SG.N
5 cæli of heaven GEN.SG.M
6 et and CONJ
7 illuminent they may give light 3PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
8 terram earth ACC.SG.F
9 Et And CONJ
10 factum done NOM.SG.N.PTCP.PERF.PASS
11 est was 3SG.PRES.IND.ACT
12 ita so ADV

Syntax

Subordinate Purpose Clause: Introduced by ut, expressing divine intention
• luceant + in firmamento cæli — shine in the heavenly expanse
• illuminent terram — provide light to the earth

Main Result Clause: Et factum est ita — a narrative closure formula affirming the effectiveness of God’s command

Morphology

  1. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Subordinating conjunction; Function: Introduces purpose clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: Governs the subjunctive mood.
  2. luceant — Lemma: luceo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present subjunctive active, 3rd plural; Function: Verb of purpose; Translation: “they may shine”; Notes: Purpose of their existence.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Spatial relation; Translation: “in”; Notes: Indicates location.
  4. firmamento — Lemma: firmamentum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter; Function: Object of preposition; Translation: “firmament”; Notes: Cosmic expanse.
  5. cæli — Lemma: caelum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive description; Translation: “of heaven”; Notes: Defines firmament’s domain.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects two subjunctive verbs; Translation: “and”; Notes: Additive.
  7. illuminent — Lemma: illumino; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present subjunctive active, 3rd plural; Function: Purpose; Translation: “they may give light”; Notes: Additional purpose of lights.
  8. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “earth”; Notes: Recipient of the light.
  9. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Introduces result clause; Translation: “And”; Notes: Marks narrative shift.
  10. factum — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: Perfect passive participle, nominative singular neuter; Function: Predicate with “est”; Translation: “done”; Notes: State resulting from divine command.
  11. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present indicative active, 3rd singular; Function: Copular verb; Translation: “was”; Notes: Narrates fulfillment.
  12. ita — Lemma: ita; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: —; Function: Reinforces result; Translation: “so”; Notes: Standard divine execution formula.

 

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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