Genesis 19:11

Posted on January 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 19:11 et eos, qui foris erant, percusserunt cæcitate a minimo usque ad maximum, ita ut ostium invenire non possent.

And they struck with blindness those who were outside, from the least to the greatest, so that they could not find the door.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 eos them ACC.PL.M.PRON
3 qui who NOM.PL.M.REL.PRON
4 foris outside ADV
5 erant were 3PL.IMPF.ACT.IND
6 percusserunt they struck 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
7 cæcitate with blindness ABL.SG.F
8 a from PREP+ABL
9 minimo least / smallest ABL.SG.M/SUPERL.ADJ
10 usque up to / until PREP/ADV
11 ad to / up to PREP+ACC
12 maximum greatest ACC.SG.M/SUPERL.ADJ
13 ita so / in such a way ADV
14 ut that / so that CONJ
15 ostium door ACC.SG.N
16 invenire to find PRES.ACT.INF
17 non not ADV
18 possent they could 3PL.IMPF.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Main Clause: et eos, qui foris erant, percusserunt cæcitate — The object eos is defined by the relative clause qui foris erant (“who were outside”). The verb percusserunt (perfect active) conveys immediate divine judgment. The ablative cæcitate functions as an instrument: “they struck with blindness.”
Extent Phrase: a minimo usque ad maximum — The prepositions mark a meristic expression, “from the least to the greatest,” showing universality of the punishment.
Result Clause: ita ut ostium invenire non possent — The adverb ita sets up the result clause introduced by ut. The subjunctive possent expresses the consequence: “so that they could not find the door.” The infinitive invenire complements possent.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects with previous clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the narrative sequence of divine action.
  2. eos — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “percusserunt”; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the men surrounding Lot’s house.
  3. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of “erant”; Translation: “who”; Notes: Introduces the defining relative clause “who were outside.”
  4. foris — Lemma: foris; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: indicates location; Translation: “outside”; Notes: Specifies physical separation from the house.
  5. erant — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active indicative, third person plural; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: “were”; Notes: Describes ongoing presence outside prior to the judgment.
  6. percusserunt — Lemma: percutio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, third person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “they struck”; Notes: Perfect tense marks sudden divine action completed at once.
  7. cæcitate — Lemma: cæcitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of means; Translation: “with blindness”; Notes: Instrumental ablative describing the means of affliction.
  8. a — Lemma: a / ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses origin; Translation: “from”; Notes: Begins range of comparison.
  9. minimo — Lemma: minimus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: governed by “a”; Translation: “the least”; Notes: Superlative degree marking lower limit of range.
  10. usque — Lemma: usque; Part of Speech: preposition/adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: links range expression; Translation: “up to / until”; Notes: Often used with “ad” for emphasis on extent.
  11. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: marks end of range; Translation: “to”; Notes: Completes extent phrase “a minimo usque ad maximum.”
  12. maximum — Lemma: maximus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: governed by “ad”; Translation: “the greatest”; Notes: Forms the upper boundary of range—total inclusion of all classes.
  13. ita — Lemma: ita; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: intensifier introducing result clause; Translation: “so / in such a way”; Notes: Correlates with “ut” to introduce result expression.
  14. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: result; Function: introduces result clause; Translation: “that / so that”; Notes: Governs subjunctive “possent.”
  15. ostium — Lemma: ostium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of “invenire”; Translation: “door”; Notes: Symbol of entry denied by divine power.
  16. invenire — Lemma: invenio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: infinitive complement of “possent”; Translation: “to find”; Notes: Dependent infinitive expressing the thwarted goal.
  17. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: negative particle; Function: negates “possent”; Translation: “not”; Notes: Simple negation expressing inability.
  18. possent — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive, third person plural; Function: verb of result clause; Translation: “they could”; Notes: Subjunctive conveys the outcome of divine action—total incapacity.

 

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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