Genesis 21:4

Posted on January 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 21:4 et circumcidit eum octavo die, sicut præceperat ei Deus,

and he circumcised him on the eighth day, as God had commanded him,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 circumcidit circumcised 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 eum him ACC.SG.M.PRON
4 octavo eighth ABL.SG.M.NUM
5 die day ABL.SG.M
6 sicut as / just as CONJ
7 præceperat had commanded 3SG.PLUPERF.ACT.IND
8 ei to him DAT.SG.M.PRON
9 Deus God NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: et circumcidit eum octavo die — The conjunction et joins this act to the previous naming of Isaac. The verb circumcidit takes the pronoun eum as direct object, while octavo die functions as an ablative of time specifying when the ritual occurred.
Comparative Clause: sicut præceperat ei Deus — A comparative clause of manner, meaning “as God had commanded him,” expressing Abraham’s precise obedience to divine law.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins this clause to the previous verse; Translation: “and”; Notes: Serves as a narrative connector continuing Abraham’s covenantal obedience.
  2. circumcidit — Lemma: circumcido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “circumcised”; Notes: Refers to Abraham’s action in performing the covenantal sign on Isaac, reflecting fulfillment of Genesis 17:12.
  3. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of “circumcidit”; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Isaac, the infant son of promise.
  4. octavo — Lemma: octavus; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies “die”; Translation: “on the eighth”; Notes: Denotes the specific covenantal timing established by divine command.
  5. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of time; Translation: “day”; Notes: Marks the exact temporal setting for the circumcision, a day of covenantal significance.
  6. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces comparative clause; Translation: “as”; Notes: Connects Abraham’s act with divine instruction, highlighting obedience.
  7. præceperat — Lemma: praecipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect indicative active, third person singular; Function: verb of the comparative clause; Translation: “had commanded”; Notes: Refers to God’s prior directive given to Abraham regarding circumcision.
  8. ei — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of “præceperat”; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Indicates the recipient of God’s command, namely Abraham.
  9. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “præceperat”; Translation: “God”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the divine initiator and legislator of the covenantal act.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Genesis. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.