Genesis 19:23

Posted on January 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 19:23 Sol egressus est super terram, et Lot ingressus est Segor.

The sun had risen upon the land, and Lot entered Segor.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sol sun NOM.SG.M
2 egressus having gone out / risen PERF.PASS.PTCP.NOM.SG.M
3 est was / has been 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND (AUX)
4 super over / upon PREP+ACC
5 terram earth / land ACC.SG.F
6 et and CONJ
7 Lot Lot NOM.SG.M.PROPN
8 ingressus having entered PERF.PASS.PTCP.NOM.SG.M
9 est was / has 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND (AUX)
10 Segor Zoar ACC.SG.M.PROPN

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Sol egressus est super terram — A temporal setting phrase marking dawn; egressus est (perfect deponent) indicates completed rising of the sun.
Main Clause 2: et Lot ingressus est Segor — Parallel perfect structure; Lot is subject, ingressus est the verb, Segor its object. The symmetry underscores the divine timing of Lot’s safe arrival coinciding with the sunrise, symbolizing deliverance.

Morphology

  1. Sol — Lemma: sol; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “egressus est”; Translation: “sun”; Notes: Personified symbol of divine illumination accompanying salvation.
  2. egressus — Lemma: egredior; Part of Speech: verb (deponent participle); Form: perfect passive participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: part of periphrastic perfect; Translation: “having gone out / risen”; Notes: Used idiomatically of sunrise.
  3. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: present indicative, third person singular; Function: auxiliary completing periphrastic perfect; Translation: “has / was”; Notes: Forms perfect with “egressus.”
  4. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses motion or position over; Translation: “over / upon”; Notes: Denotes spatial dominance of the sun over the earth.
  5. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of “super”; Translation: “earth / land”; Notes: Refers to the region surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins parallel clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Balances celestial and human actions within divine providence.
  7. Lot — Lemma: Lot; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “ingressus est”; Translation: “Lot”; Notes: Central human actor within the narrative of deliverance.
  8. ingressus — Lemma: ingredior; Part of Speech: verb (deponent participle); Form: perfect passive participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: part of periphrastic perfect; Translation: “having entered”; Notes: Describes Lot’s completed entrance into safety at Zoar.
  9. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: present indicative, third person singular; Function: completes periphrastic perfect; Translation: “has”; Notes: Forms perfect with “ingressus.”
  10. Segor — Lemma: Segor; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of “ingressus est”; Translation: “Segor (Zoar)”; Notes: The small city spared for Lot’s refuge, fulfilling divine promise.

 

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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