Genesis 13:2

Posted on January 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 13:2 Erat autem dives valde in possessione auri et argenti.

Now he was very rich in possessions of gold and silver.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Erat he was 3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
2 autem however / now ADV
3 dives rich / wealthy NOM.SG.M
4 valde greatly / very ADV
5 in in / with respect to PREP+ABL
6 possessione possession ABL.SG.F
7 auri of gold GEN.SG.N
8 et and CONJ
9 argenti of silver GEN.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause: Erat autem dives valde — Erat is the copulative verb linking the subject (understood as Abram from context) with the predicate adjective dives (“rich”). The adverb valde intensifies the predicate (“very rich”).
Prepositional Phrase: in possessione auri et argenti — expresses sphere or respect (“in the possession of gold and silver”); auri et argenti are genitives dependent on possessione.

Morphology

  1. Erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Imperfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of the clause; Translation: “he was”; Notes: Describes continuous state in the past; identifies Abram’s condition of wealth.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Adversative particle; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional or contrastive conjunction; Translation: “however / now”; Notes: Shifts narrative from movement to description.
  3. dives — Lemma: dives; Part of Speech: Adjective (used substantively); Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Predicate adjective; Translation: “rich”; Notes: Common descriptive term for material wealth; agrees with implied subject Abram.
  4. valde — Lemma: valde; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adverbial modifier of dives; Translation: “very / greatly”; Notes: Intensifies degree of richness.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Expresses respect or relation; Translation: “in / with respect to”; Notes: Used idiomatically to indicate domain of wealth.
  6. possessione — Lemma: possessio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “possession”; Notes: Refers to property or goods owned.
  7. auri — Lemma: aurum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular neuter; Function: Genitive of material; Translation: “of gold”; Notes: Specifies the substance possessed.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects coordinated genitives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Simple copulative conjunction.
  9. argenti — Lemma: argentum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular neuter; Function: Genitive of material; Translation: “of silver”; Notes: Completes the pair with auri; typical biblical expression of wealth.

 

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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