Genesis 1:4

Posted on January 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 1:4 Et vidit Deus lucem quod esset bona: et divisit lucem a tenebris.

And God saw the light that it was good, and He separated the light from the darkness.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 vidit saw 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Deus God NOM.SG.M
4 lucem light ACC.SG.F
5 quod that REL.PRON.ACC.SG.N
6 esset was 3SG.IMPFT.ACT.SUBJ
7 bona good NOM.SG.F.ADJ
8 et and CONJ
9 divisit separated 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 lucem light ACC.SG.F
11 a from PREP+ABL
12 tenebris darkness ABL.PL.F

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Deus (Subject) + vidit (Verb)
Object: lucem (Direct object)
Subordinate Clause: quod esset bona — adjectival clause describing “light”

Main Clause 2: Deus (implied Subject) + divisit (Verb)
Objects: lucem (Direct object) + a tenebris — ablative of separation

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating conjunction; Function: Links narrative actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Sequential storytelling device.
  2. vidit — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: Main narrative verb; Translation: “saw”; Notes: Completed past action.
  3. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of both verbs; Translation: “God”; Notes: Divine agent of evaluation and separation.
  4. lucem — Lemma: lux; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “light”; Notes: Evaluated creation element.
  5. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Introduces subordinate clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Refers to the fact/state of the light.
  6. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Imperfect active subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: Verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “was”; Notes: Subjunctive shows evaluation rather than narration.
  7. bona — Lemma: bonus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Predicate adjective describing “light”; Translation: “good”; Notes: Moral/spiritual determination.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Links second narrative action; Translation: “and”; Notes: Moves narrative forward.
  9. divisit — Lemma: divido; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: Main verb of second clause; Translation: “separated”; Notes: Establishes cosmic distinction.
  10. lucem — Lemma: lux; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object of “divisit”; Translation: “light”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes importance.
  11. a — Lemma: a/ab; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Expresses separation; Translation: “from”; Notes: Marks point of distinction.
  12. tenebris — Lemma: tenebrae; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural feminine; Function: Object of preposition; Translation: “darkness”; Notes: Opposing domain to light.

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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