Genesis 19:36

Posted on January 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 19:36 Conceperunt ergo duæ filiæ Lot de patre suo.

Therefore the two daughters of Lot conceived by their father.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Conceperunt they conceived 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
2 ergo therefore CONJ.ADV
3 duæ two NOM.PL.F.NUM
4 filiæ daughters NOM.PL.F
5 Lot Lot GEN.SG.M.PROPN
6 de from / by PREP+ABL
7 patre father ABL.SG.M
8 suo their own ABL.SG.M.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Main Clause: Conceperunt ergo duæ filiæ Lot de patre suo — The perfect verb Conceperunt serves as the main predicate, with duæ filiæ Lot as the compound subject (“the two daughters of Lot”). The prepositional phrase de patre suo expresses origin or source, indicating the agent of conception. The conjunction ergo (“therefore”) draws a conclusion from the preceding events.

Morphology

  1. Conceperunt — Lemma: concipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “they conceived”; Notes: Perfect tense denotes completed conception following the two nights of intoxication.
  2. ergo — Lemma: ergo; Part of Speech: conjunction/adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces a conclusion; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Connects narrative causally to previous verses.
  3. duæ — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: modifies “filiæ”; Translation: “two”; Notes: Quantifies the subject precisely.
  4. filiæ — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of “Conceperunt”; Translation: “daughters”; Notes: The main actors of the sentence.
  5. Lot — Lemma: Lot; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine (indeclinable foreign name); Function: possessive genitive with “filiæ”; Translation: “of Lot”; Notes: Identifies parentage and source of the offspring.
  6. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses source or origin; Translation: “from / by”; Notes: Indicates paternal source of conception.
  7. patre — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of “de”; Translation: “father”; Notes: Refers directly to Lot as progenitor.
  8. suo — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies “patre”; Translation: “their own”; Notes: Emphasizes the tragic irony of incestuous origin.

 

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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