Genesis 14:11

Posted on January 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 14:11 Tulerunt autem omnem substantiam Sodomorum et Gomorrhæ, et universa quæ ad cibum pertinent, et abierunt:

And they took all the substance of Sodom and Gomorrha, and all the things that pertain to food, and went away.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Tulerunt they took / carried away 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
2 autem however / and CONJ.ADV
3 omnem all / every ACC.SG.F
4 substantiam substance / wealth / property ACC.SG.F
5 Sodomorum of Sodom GEN.PL.M (INDECL. HEBR.)
6 et and CONJ
7 Gomorrhæ of Gomorrah GEN.SG.F (INDECL. HEBR.)
8 et and CONJ
9 universa all things ACC.PL.N
10 quæ which NOM.PL.N REL.PRON
11 ad to / toward / concerning PREP+ACC
12 cibum food ACC.SG.M
13 pertinent pertain / relate 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
14 et and CONJ
15 abierunt they went away / departed 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Tulerunt autem omnem substantiam Sodomorum et Gomorrhæ — compound object structure; substantiam serves as direct object of Tulerunt, modified by possessive genitives Sodomorum and Gomorrhæ.
Main Clause 2: et universa quæ ad cibum pertinent — a second object linked by et; the relative clause quæ ad cibum pertinent defines what kinds of goods were taken (food supplies).
Main Clause 3: et abierunt — final coordinate verb; shows result action (departure).

Morphology

  1. Tulerunt — Lemma: fero; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person plural; Function: Main verb; Translation: “they took / carried away”; Notes: Indicates completed action of plundering; the subject is the victorious eastern kings.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction/adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Transitional particle; Translation: “however / and”; Notes: Connects with preceding verse, marking narrative continuation.
  3. omnem — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Modifier of substantiam; Translation: “all / every”; Notes: Expresses totality of the spoils.
  4. substantiam — Lemma: substantia; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object of Tulerunt; Translation: “substance / wealth / property”; Notes: Refers to possessions, goods, or material wealth of the cities.
  5. Sodomorum — Lemma: Sodomæ; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive plural masculine; Function: Genitive of possession; Translation: “of Sodom”; Notes: Specifies origin of the captured goods.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Joins genitives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects Sodom with Gomorrah as joint possessors.
  7. Gomorrhæ — Lemma: Gomorrha; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular feminine; Function: Genitive of possession; Translation: “of Gomorrah”; Notes: Completes possessive pair with Sodomorum.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces a second direct object phrase; Translation: “and.”
  9. universa — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: Adjective (used substantively); Form: Accusative plural neuter; Function: Object of Tulerunt; Translation: “all things”; Notes: Refers broadly to additional spoils.
  10. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative plural neuter; Function: Subject of pertinent; Translation: “which”; Notes: Introduces relative clause defining universa.
  11. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Expresses reference or purpose; Translation: “to / concerning”; Notes: Here implies “pertaining to.”
  12. cibum — Lemma: cibus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “food”; Notes: Defines the category of goods related to sustenance and provisions.
  13. pertinent — Lemma: pertineo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active indicative, 3rd person plural; Function: Main verb of the relative clause; Translation: “pertain / relate”; Notes: Describes the connection between the goods and nourishment.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links final verb; Translation: “and.” ; Notes: Serves as a coordinating conjunction joining the final clause; provides narrative rhythm typical of biblical prose, showing the sequence of actions.
  15. abierunt — Lemma: abeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person plural; Function: Final verb of sequence; Translation: “they went away”; Notes: Marks conclusion of raid narrative — the invaders depart after looting.

 

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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