Genesis 18:22

Posted on January 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 18:22 Converteruntque se inde, et abierunt Sodomam: Abraham vero adhuc stabat coram Domino.

And they turned from there and went toward Sodom; but Abraham still stood before the LORD.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Converteruntque and they turned 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC -QUE
2 se themselves ACC.PL.REFL.PRON
3 inde from there ADV
4 et and CONJ
5 abierunt they went away 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
6 Sodomam to Sodom ACC.SG.F.PROP.NOUN
7 Abraham Abraham NOM.SG.M.PROP.NOUN
8 vero but / however ADV
9 adhuc still / yet ADV
10 stabat was standing 3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
11 coram before / in the presence of PREP+ABL
12 Domino the LORD ABL.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Converteruntque se inde — The reflexive pronoun se indicates a change in physical position: “they turned themselves from there.” The enclitic -que attaches to converterunt and coordinates with the next clause.
Main Clause 2: et abierunt Sodomam — et introduces the sequential action: “and they went toward Sodom.” The accusative Sodomam follows a verb of motion, marking direction.
Contrasting Clause: Abraham vero adhuc stabat coram Domino — The adverb vero introduces contrast (“but Abraham still…”). adhuc adds a temporal nuance (“still / yet”), and coram Domino expresses Abraham’s reverent position before YHWH. The imperfect stabat describes ongoing posture, symbolizing intercession.

Morphology

  1. Converteruntque — Lemma: converto; Part of Speech: verb + enclitic conjunction; Form: perfect active indicative, third person plural + -que; Function: main verb; Translation: “and they turned”; Notes: The enclitic -que joins this to “abierunt Sodomam,” denoting continuous action by the same subjects (the heavenly visitors).
  2. se — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: reflexive pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: direct object of “converterunt”; Translation: “themselves”; Notes: Indicates reflexive motion, emphasizing deliberate change of direction.
  3. inde — Lemma: inde; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adverb of place; Translation: “from there”; Notes: Refers to the place of divine conversation with Abraham.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects consecutive narrative actions.
  5. abierunt — Lemma: abeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, third person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “they went away”; Notes: Describes the angels’ departure toward Sodom to carry out judgment.
  6. Sodomam — Lemma: Sodoma; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: goal of motion; Translation: “Sodom”; Notes: Marks destination of divine agents’ mission.
  7. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “stabat”; Translation: “Abraham”; Notes: Remains in dialogue posture, representing the human intercessor before YHWH.
  8. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: contrastive adverb; Translation: “but / however”; Notes: Highlights Abraham’s distinct position compared to the departing visitors.
  9. adhuc — Lemma: adhuc; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: temporal modifier; Translation: “still / yet”; Notes: Indicates continuity of Abraham’s stance and attentiveness.
  10. stabat — Lemma: sto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active indicative, third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “was standing”; Notes: Describes sustained position of reverent readiness, characteristic of prayer or intercession.
  11. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses spatial relation; Translation: “before / in the presence of”; Notes: Denotes physical and spiritual proximity in divine audience.
  12. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of “coram”; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, before whom Abraham remains standing as mediator for the cities.

 

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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