Genesis 13:10

Posted on January 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

10 Elevatis itaque Lot oculis, vidit omnem circa regionem Iordanis, quæ universa irrigabatur antequam subverteret Dominus Sodomam et Gomorrham, sicut paradisus Domini, et sicut Ægyptus venientibus in Segor.

And Lot, having lifted up his eyes, saw all the region round about Jordan, which was wholly watered before the LORD overthrew Sodom and Gomorrha, like the garden of the LORD, and like Egypt, as you go to Segor.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Elevatis having lifted up ABL.PL.N (PERF.PASS.PART)
2 itaque therefore / so CONJ
3 Lot Lot NOM.SG.M (indecl. Hebr.)
4 oculis eyes ABL.PL.M
5 vidit saw 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 omnem all / every ACC.SG.F
7 circa around / surrounding PREP+ACC
8 regionem region / area ACC.SG.F
9 Iordanis of Jordan GEN.SG.M (indecl. Hebr.)
10 quæ which REL.PRON.NOM.SG.F
11 universa entire / whole NOM.SG.F
12 irrigabatur was watered 3SG.IMPF.PASS.IND
13 antequam before CONJ
14 subverteret overthrew 3SG.IMPF.ACT.SUBJ
15 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M
16 Sodomam Sodom ACC.SG.F (indecl. Hebr.)
17 et and CONJ
18 Gomorrham Gomorrah ACC.SG.F (indecl. Hebr.)
19 sicut like / as CONJ
20 paradisus garden / paradise NOM.SG.M
21 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
22 et and CONJ
23 sicut as / like CONJ
24 Ægyptus Egypt NOM.SG.F
25 venientibus as they come / going DAT/ABL.PL.M (PRES.ACT.PART)
26 in into / toward PREP+ACC
27 Segor Segor (Zoar) ACC.SG.F (indecl. Hebr.)

Syntax

Temporal Ablative Phrase: Elevatis itaque Lot oculis — ablative absolute meaning “when Lot had lifted up his eyes,” introducing the main narrative action.
Main Clause: vidit omnem circa regionem Iordanis — Lot is the implied subject; vidit the main verb; omnem … regionem the direct object; circa functions adverbially, “around Jordan.”
Relative Clause: quæ universa irrigabatur — describes the region, “which was wholly watered,” with irrigabatur as a passive imperfect indicating ongoing condition.
Temporal Subordinate Clause: antequam subverteret Dominus Sodomam et Gomorrham — introduced by antequam, expressing “before the LORD overthrew…”.
Comparative Phrases: sicut paradisus Domini and sicut Ægyptus venientibus in Segor — comparisons showing fertility and beauty, the second with a participial phrase expressing direction “as one goes toward Segor.”

Morphology

  1. Elevatis — Lemma: elevo; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: Ablative plural neuter (agreeing with oculis); Function: In ablative absolute construction; Translation: “having lifted up”; Notes: Denotes completed prior action relative to main verb vidit.
  2. itaque — Lemma: itaque; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Logical/narrative connector; Translation: “therefore / so”; Notes: Continues the narrative from Abram’s proposal.
  3. Lot — Lemma: Lot; Part of Speech: Proper noun (indeclinable Hebrew name); Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “Lot”; Notes: The actor performing the observation.
  4. oculis — Lemma: oculus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural masculine; Function: Complement in ablative absolute; Translation: “eyes”; Notes: Specifies the instrument of perception.
  5. vidit — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “he saw”; Notes: Simple completed act of vision.
  6. omnem — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Modifies regionem; Translation: “all / entire”; Notes: Universal quantifier emphasizing extent.
  7. circa — Lemma: circa; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Indicates proximity; Translation: “around”; Notes: Used with regionem to express surrounding area.
  8. regionem — Lemma: regio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object of vidit; Translation: “region / area”; Notes: The geographical focus of Lot’s gaze.
  9. Iordanis — Lemma: Iordanis; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive; Translation: “of Jordan”; Notes: Specifies the region’s location.
  10. quæ — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Subject of irrigabatur; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces descriptive relative clause.
  11. universa — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Predicate adjective; Translation: “wholly / entire”; Notes: Adds emphasis to the totality of irrigation.
  12. irrigabatur — Lemma: irrigo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Imperfect passive indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of relative clause; Translation: “was watered”; Notes: Continuous aspect describing fertility.
  13. antequam — Lemma: antequam; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Temporal conjunction; Translation: “before”; Notes: Governs subordinate clause referring to divine destruction.
  14. subverteret — Lemma: subverto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Imperfect active subjunctive, 3rd person singular; Function: Verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “overthrew”; Notes: Subjunctive required by temporal clause after antequam.
  15. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun (title); Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of subverteret; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, agent of judgment.
  16. Sodomam — Lemma: Sodoma; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object of subverteret; Translation: “Sodom”; Notes: City destroyed for its wickedness.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects coordinated nouns; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links Sodom and Gomorrah.
  18. Gomorrham — Lemma: Gomorrha; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Second object of subverteret; Translation: “Gomorrah”; Notes: Companion city to Sodom.
  19. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces comparison; Translation: “like / as”; Notes: Begins simile comparing the land’s fertility.
  20. paradisus — Lemma: paradisus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject complement; Translation: “garden / paradise”; Notes: Refers to the Garden of Eden metaphorically.
  21. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun (title); Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: Genitive of possession referring to divine creation.
  22. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects comparisons; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins two comparative clauses.
  23. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces second comparison; Translation: “as / like”; Notes: Parallels previous simile.
  24. Ægyptus — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Subject of implied est; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: Compared for fertility and irrigation.
  25. venientibus — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: Dative/ablative plural masculine; Function: Dative of reference / ablative of attendant circumstance; Translation: “as they come / to those going”; Notes: Describes travelers’ viewpoint.
  26. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Indicates direction; Translation: “into / toward”; Notes: Specifies destination of movement.
  27. Segor — Lemma: Segor; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine (indeclinable Hebrew name); Function: Object of in; Translation: “Segor (Zoar)”; Notes: Southeastern city near the Dead Sea; final geographic reference of the comparison.

 

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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