Genesis 11:12

Posted on January 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 11:12 Porro Arphaxad vixit triginta quinque annis, et genuit Sale.

Moreover, Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and he begot Sale.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Porro moreover ADV
2 Arphaxad Arphaxad NOM.SG.M
3 vixit lived 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 triginta thirty NUM.INDECL
5 quinque five NUM.INDECL
6 annis years ABL.PL.M
7 et and CONJ
8 genuit begot 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 Sale Sale ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Porro Arphaxad vixit triginta quinque annis — adverb Porro introduces a new genealogical statement; Arphaxad (subject) + vixit (verb) + ablative of duration triginta quinque annis (“for thirty-five years”).
Coordinate Clause: et genuit Sale — conjunction et links a second clause describing the act of procreation, with Sale as the direct object.
Function: Establishes chronological continuity within the genealogy of Sem’s descendants.

Morphology

  1. Porro — Lemma: porro; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Marks continuation or transition; Translation: “moreover”; Notes: Common narrative connector in genealogical accounts.
  2. Arphaxad — Lemma: Arphaxad; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of vixit and genuit; Translation: “Arphaxad”; Notes: Continues Sem’s lineage.
  3. vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “lived”; Notes: Denotes lifespan before begetting the next generation.
  4. triginta — Lemma: triginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Modifies annis; Translation: “thirty”; Notes: Used with quinque to form compound number.
  5. quinque — Lemma: quinque; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Modifies annis; Translation: “five”; Notes: Combines with triginta to express 35.
  6. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Ablative of duration of time; Translation: “years”; Notes: Expresses the span before fatherhood.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Joins main verbs; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects life duration with the genealogical act.
  8. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of second clause; Translation: “begot”; Notes: Standard genealogical verb, denoting procreation.
  9. Sale — Lemma: Sale; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of genuit; Translation: “Sale”; Notes: Next link in the genealogical line following Arphaxad.

 

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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