Genesis 12:8

Posted on January 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 12:8 Et inde transgrediens ad montem, qui erat contra orientem Bethel, tetendit ibi tabernaculum suum, ab occidente habens Bethel, et ab oriente Hai: ædificavit quoque ibi altare Domino, et invocavit nomen eius.

And from there, going over to the mountain which was east of Bethel, he set up his tent there, having Bethel on the west and Hai on the east; and he built there an altar to the LORD, and called upon His name.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 inde from there ADV
3 transgrediens going over PRES.ACT.PART.NOM.SG.M
4 ad to / toward PREP+ACC
5 montem mountain ACC.SG.M
6 qui which / who REL.PRON.NOM.SG.M
7 erat was 3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
8 contra facing / opposite PREP+ACC
9 orientem east ACC.SG.M
10 Bethel Bethel ACC.SG.INDECL
11 tetendit he pitched / spread 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
12 ibi there ADV
13 tabernaculum tent ACC.SG.N
14 suum his ADJ.POSS.ACC.SG.N
15 ab from PREP+ABL
16 occidente west ABL.SG.M
17 habens having PRES.ACT.PART.NOM.SG.M
18 Bethel Bethel ACC.SG.INDECL
19 et and CONJ
20 ab from PREP+ABL
21 oriente east ABL.SG.M
22 Hai Hai ACC.SG.INDECL
23 ædificavit built 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
24 quoque also ADV
25 ibi there ADV
26 altare altar ACC.SG.N
27 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
28 et and CONJ
29 invocavit called upon 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
30 nomen name ACC.SG.N
31 eius his PRON.POSS.GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Et inde transgrediens ad montem — ablative of separation inde (“from there”) with present participle transgrediens describing Abram’s movement toward the mountain.
Relative Clause: qui erat contra orientem Bethel — qui modifies montem; erat links to the predicate phrase “opposite the east of Bethel.”
Main Clause 2: tetendit ibi tabernaculum suum — perfect verb tetendit governs direct object tabernaculum; ibi indicates place of encampment.
Participial Phrase: ab occidente habens Bethel et ab oriente Hai — descriptive phrase showing spatial orientation of Abram’s camp.
Main Clause 3: ædificavit quoque ibi altare Domino — another perfect verb, ædificavit, introducing Abram’s act of worship; Domino is dative of advantage.
Final Clause: et invocavit nomen eius — perfect verb invocavit with object nomen eius expresses invocation of YHWH’s name, a formal act of worship.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connective; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links narrative actions sequentially.
  2. inde — Lemma: inde; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Ablative of origin; Translation: “from there”; Notes: Refers to previous geographic location near Sichem.
  3. transgrediens — Lemma: transgredior; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent participle); Form: Present active participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: Descriptive participle modifying Abram; Translation: “going over / crossing”; Notes: Indicates transition from one site to another.
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Marks direction; Translation: “to / toward”; Notes: Introduces motion toward montem.
  5. montem — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “mountain”; Notes: Geographic destination of Abram’s journey.
  6. qui — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of erat; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces descriptive clause for montem.
  7. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Linking verb; Translation: “was”; Notes: Describes static geographical orientation.
  8. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Expresses position or direction; Translation: “facing / opposite”; Notes: Spatial preposition defining location relative to Bethel.
  9. orientem — Lemma: oriens; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of contra; Translation: “east”; Notes: Used substantively to mean “the rising of the sun.”
  10. Bethel — Lemma: Bethel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular (indeclinable); Function: Object of contra; Translation: “Bethel”; Notes: Location west of Ai, sacred site later in Jacob’s story.
  11. tetendit — Lemma: tendo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “pitched / stretched”; Notes: Common verb for pitching tents; implies settled encampment.
  12. ibi — Lemma: ibi; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Specifies site of encampment.
  13. tabernaculum — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Direct object of tetendit; Translation: “tent”; Notes: Represents temporary dwelling.
  14. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Possessive adjective; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Modifies tabernaculum; Translation: “his (own)”; Notes: Reflective of Abram’s personal property.
  15. ab — Lemma: ab; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Indicates direction or position; Translation: “from”; Notes: Used in spatial orientation.
  16. occidente — Lemma: occidens; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Object of ab; Translation: “west”; Notes: Ablative of location, complementing oriente.
  17. habens — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: Present active participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: Describes Abram’s position; Translation: “having”; Notes: Introduces two parallel prepositional phrases expressing spatial reference.
  18. Bethel — Lemma: Bethel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular (indeclinable); Function: Object of habens; Translation: “Bethel”; Notes: Indicates western landmark of Abram’s camp.
  19. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Links parallel phrases; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects spatial opposites.
  20. ab — Lemma: ab; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Spatial marker; Translation: “from”; Notes: Balances previous ab occidente.
  21. oriente — Lemma: oriens; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Object of ab; Translation: “east”; Notes: Direction opposite occidente.
  22. Hai — Lemma: Hai; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular (indeclinable); Function: Complement of habens; Translation: “Hai (Ai)”; Notes: Eastern settlement facing Abram’s encampment.
  23. ædificavit — Lemma: ædifico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “built”; Notes: Marks act of worship following establishment of dwelling.
  24. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Emphasizing addition; Translation: “also”; Notes: Adds emphasis to repeated pattern of altar-building.
  25. ibi — Lemma: ibi; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adverb of place; Translation: “there”; Notes: Indicates physical location of altar.
  26. altare — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Direct object of ædificavit; Translation: “altar”; Notes: Neuter third-declension noun used for a sacrificial altar; object of the completed cultic action marking the site as dedicated space.
  27. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun (title); Form: Dative singular masculine; Function: Indirect object indicating dedication/beneficiary; Translation: “to the LORD”; Notes: Title for YHWH; the dative signals the altar is for His honor and service.
  28. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Coordinating conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links subsequent verbal action; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple copulative continuing the sequence from construction to invocation.
  29. invocavit — Lemma: invoco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of final clause; Translation: “called upon”; Notes: Perfect portrays a solemn, completed liturgical act—public proclamation/prayer invoking divine presence.
  30. nomen — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Direct object of invocavit; Translation: “name”; Notes: In biblical usage, “name” represents the LORD’s identity, authority, and presence being invoked.
  31. eius — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Pronominal adjective/pronoun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying nomen; Translation: “his”; Notes: Refers to the LORD; specifies whose name Abram invokes.

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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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