Genesis 19:21

Posted on January 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 19:21 Dixitque ad eum: Ecce etiam in hoc suscepi preces tuas, ut non subvertam urbem pro qua locutus es.

And he said to him: “Behold, I have also accepted your prayers in this matter, that I will not overthrow the city for which you have spoken.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixitque and he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + CONJ
2 ad to / toward PREP+ACC
3 eum him ACC.SG.M.PRON
4 Ecce behold INTERJ
5 etiam also / even ADV
6 in in / concerning PREP+ABL
7 hoc this ABL.SG.N.DEMONSTR.PRON
8 suscepi I have accepted / received 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 preces prayers / petitions ACC.PL.F
10 tuas your ACC.PL.F.POSS.ADJ
11 ut that / so that CONJ
12 non not ADV.NEG
13 subvertam I will overthrow 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
14 urbem city ACC.SG.F
15 pro for / on behalf of PREP+ABL
16 qua which / for which ABL.SG.F.REL.PRON
17 locutus spoken PERF.PASS.PTCP
18 es you are / you have 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND (AUX)

Syntax

Main Clause: Dixitque ad eum introduces divine speech, linking to the prior negotiation about Zoar.
Demonstrative Phrase: Ecce etiam in hoc — an emphatic declaration meaning “Behold, even in this matter,” underscoring divine indulgence.
Object Clause: suscepi preces tuas — a perfective action showing divine acceptance of Lot’s intercession.
Final Clause: ut non subvertam urbem — purpose clause expressing divine restraint, negated by non.
Relative Clause: pro qua locutus es — defines the specific city spared because of Lot’s plea; pro with ablative conveys “on behalf of.”

Morphology

  1. Dixitque — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb + conjunction; Form: perfect active indicative, third person singular + enclitic -que; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: The conjunction -que connects the verse with the preceding divine discourse.
  2. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates direction of speech; Translation: “to”; Notes: Regular in verbs of speaking.
  3. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of “ad”; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Lot as the addressee.
  4. Ecce — Lemma: ecce; Part of Speech: interjection; Form: indeclinable; Function: draws attention; Translation: “behold”; Notes: Marks solemn divine assurance.
  5. etiam — Lemma: etiam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: intensifies inclusion; Translation: “also / even”; Notes: Emphasizes additional favor beyond expectation.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces a sphere of action; Translation: “in / concerning”; Notes: Refers to the specific matter under discussion — sparing the city.
  7. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of “in”; Translation: “this”; Notes: Refers to the request about Zoar.
  8. suscepi — Lemma: suscipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, first person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I have accepted / received”; Notes: Indicates completed divine acceptance of prayer.
  9. preces — Lemma: prex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of “suscepi”; Translation: “prayers”; Notes: Represents intercessory petitions of Lot.
  10. tuas — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies “preces”; Translation: “your”; Notes: Personalizes divine response to Lot’s requests.
  11. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “that / so that”; Notes: Connects divine mercy with its intended outcome.
  12. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: negative; Function: negates “subvertam”; Translation: “not”; Notes: Negation intensifies divine clemency.
  13. subvertam — Lemma: subverto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive, first person singular; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “I may overthrow / will overthrow”; Notes: Subjunctive under “ut” shows purpose or intention restrained by mercy.
  14. urbem — Lemma: urbs; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of “subvertam”; Translation: “city”; Notes: Refers to Zoar, spared for Lot’s sake.
  15. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses benefit or cause; Translation: “for / on behalf of”; Notes: Common preposition in intercessory contexts.
  16. qua — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of “pro”; Translation: “which / for which”; Notes: Refers back to “urbem.”
  17. locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent participle); Form: perfect passive participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: part of periphrastic perfect; Translation: “spoken”; Notes: Forms perfect with auxiliary “es.”
  18. es — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: present indicative, second person singular; Function: auxiliary with “locutus”; Translation: “you have”; Notes: Completes perfect periphrasis “locutus es.”

 

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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