Genesis 17:24

Posted on January 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 17:24 Abraham nonaginta et novem erat annorum quando circumcidit carnem præputii sui.

Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Abraham Abraham NOM.SG.M.PROP.NOUN
2 nonaginta ninety NUM.CARD.INDECL
3 et and CONJ
4 novem nine NUM.CARD.INDECL
5 erat was 3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
6 annorum of years GEN.PL.M
7 quando when CONJ
8 circumcidit circumcised 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 carnem flesh ACC.SG.F
10 præputii of foreskin GEN.SG.N
11 sui his own GEN.SG.M.REFL.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Abraham nonaginta et novem erat annorum — Abraham is the subject; erat (“was”) is the copula; nonaginta et novem (“ninety and nine”) modifies annorum in genitive plural, forming an age expression: “was ninety-nine years old.”
Temporal Clause: quando circumcidit carnem præputii sui — quando introduces a temporal clause; circumcidit (“he circumcised”) is the main verb; carnem præputii sui is the object (“the flesh of his foreskin”); sui is reflexive, referring back to Abraham.

Morphology

  1. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Abraham”; Notes: The patriarch performing the covenantal rite upon himself.
  2. nonaginta — Lemma: nonaginta; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable cardinal number; Function: modifies “annorum”; Translation: “ninety”; Notes: First part of compound numeral phrase.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects numerals; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins “ninety” and “nine” into a single expression.
  4. novem — Lemma: novem; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable cardinal number; Function: completes age phrase; Translation: “nine”; Notes: Together with “nonaginta,” indicates ninety-nine.
  5. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active indicative, third person singular; Function: copulative verb; Translation: “was”; Notes: Links subject with predicate nominative, expressing age at a point in time.
  6. annorum — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: genitive of measure; Translation: “of years”; Notes: Used idiomatically in age expressions.
  7. quando — Lemma: quando; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: “when”; Notes: Connects the statement of age to the action that followed.
  8. circumcidit — Lemma: circumcido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, third person singular; Function: main verb of temporal clause; Translation: “circumcised”; Notes: Describes the fulfillment of divine command.
  9. carnem — Lemma: caro; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: “flesh”; Notes: Refers specifically to the physical tissue involved in the rite.
  10. præputii — Lemma: præputium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive of specification; Translation: “of the foreskin”; Notes: Specifies the portion of flesh removed in circumcision.
  11. sui — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: reflexive pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive, modifying “præputii”; Translation: “his own”; Notes: Refers reflexively to Abraham, emphasizing personal obedience to the covenant.

 

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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