Genesis 11:22

Posted on January 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 11:22 Vixit vero Sarug triginta annis, et genuit Nachor.

And Sarug indeed lived thirty years, and he begot Nachor.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vixit lived 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 vero indeed / truly ADV
3 Sarug Sarug NOM.SG.M
4 triginta thirty NUM.INDECL
5 annis years ABL.PL.M
6 et and CONJ
7 genuit begot 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 Nachor Nachor ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Vixit vero Sarug triginta annis — subject Sarug with verb vixit; adverb vero adds emphasis or slight contrast; triginta annis (ablative of duration) means “for thirty years.”
Coordinate Clause: et genuit Nachor — the conjunction et introduces a second action, indicating the begetting of Nachor and continuing the genealogical pattern.

Morphology

  1. Vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “lived”; Notes: Introduces Sarug’s age before fathering Nachor.
  2. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adds emphasis or affirmation; Translation: “indeed” or “truly”; Notes: Often used stylistically to vary the genealogical narrative formula.
  3. Sarug — Lemma: Sarug; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “Sarug”; Notes: The patriarch following Reu and preceding Nachor.
  4. triginta — Lemma: triginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Modifies annis; Translation: “thirty”; Notes: Common numeral in early genealogical lifespans.
  5. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Ablative of duration; Translation: “years”; Notes: Expresses how long Sarug lived before the event of begetting.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects the clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Standard genealogical connective.
  7. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of coordinate clause; Translation: “begot”; Notes: Introduces the next generation’s name.
  8. Nachor — Lemma: Nachor; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of genuit; Translation: “Nachor”; Notes: The descendant who will precede Thare in the lineage leading to Abram.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Genesis. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.