Genesis 10:9

Posted on January 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 10:9 et erat robustus venator coram Domino. Ob hoc exivit proverbium: Quasi Nemrod robustus venator coram Domino.

And he was a mighty hunter before the LORD. For this reason a proverb arose: “Like Nemrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 erat was 3SG.IMPERF.ACT.IND
3 robustus mighty NOM.SG.M.ADJ
4 venator hunter NOM.SG.M
5 coram before PREP+ABL
6 Domino LORD ABL.SG.M
7 Ob because of PREP+ACC
8 hoc this ACC.SG.N.DEM.PRON
9 exivit went forth 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 proverbium proverb NOM.SG.N
11 Quasi like CONJ
12 Nemrod Nemrod NOM.SG.M
13 robustus mighty NOM.SG.M.ADJ
14 venator hunter NOM.SG.M
15 coram before PREP+ABL
16 Domino LORD ABL.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Et erat robustus venator coram Domino — “And he was a mighty hunter before the LORD.” The verb erat links the subject (understood “he,” i.e., Nemrod) with its predicate nominative robustus venator. The prepositional phrase coram Domino expresses presence “before the LORD,” denoting recognition of Nemrod’s prowess before divine sight.
Main Clause 2: Ob hoc exivit proverbium — “Because of this a proverb went forth.” Ob hoc marks causality, exivit is the main verb, and proverbium serves as the nominative subject.
Quotation: Quasi Nemrod robustus venator coram Domino reproduces the proverbial saying, functioning as a reported clause without a finite verb (“Like Nemrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD”).
Word Order: Sequential and explanatory — first description, then resulting proverb — typical of Hebrew-style narrative carried into Latin form.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects to previous sentence; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple additive conjunction beginning a new clause.
  2. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “was”; Notes: Indicates continuous or enduring state of being.
  3. robustus — Lemma: robustus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate adjective modifying venator; Translation: “mighty”; Notes: Describes physical or moral strength.
  4. venator — Lemma: venator; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate nominative; Translation: “hunter”; Notes: Completes the predicate robustus venator.
  5. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Expresses presence or standing before someone; Translation: “before”; Notes: Often used with divine name in Vulgate style.
  6. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Object of coram; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH; translated in small capitals when denoting the divine name.
  7. Ob — Lemma: ob; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Marks cause or reason; Translation: “because of”; Notes: Establishes logical connection between Nemrod’s fame and the proverb.
  8. hoc — Lemma: hic, hæc, hoc; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Object of ob; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the preceding event of Nemrod’s might.
  9. exivit — Lemma: exeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “went forth”; Notes: Metaphorical for “came into usage” regarding a saying.
  10. proverbium — Lemma: proverbium; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject of exivit; Translation: “proverb”; Notes: Refers to a popular saying or expression of renown.
  11. Quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces comparison or simile; Translation: “like”; Notes: Introduces proverbial expression.
  12. Nemrod — Lemma: Nemrod; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of implied “esse”; Translation: “Nemrod”; Notes: Figure of legendary strength and hunting skill.
  13. robustus — Lemma: robustus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate adjective; Translation: “mighty”; Notes: Repeated epithet linking the saying to the earlier statement.
  14. venator — Lemma: venator; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate noun; Translation: “hunter”; Notes: Reinforces Nemrod’s identity as archetype of power.
  15. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Indicates divine presence; Translation: “before”; Notes: Repeated prepositional phrase for emphasis.
  16. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Object of coram; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Denotes standing in the presence of YHWH, emphasizing divine recognition.

 

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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