Genesis 23:12

Posted on January 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 23:12 Adoravit Abraham coram populo terræ.

And Abraham bowed himself before the people of the land.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Adoravit bowed / worshipped 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Abraham Abraham NOM.SG.M (INDECL. NAME)
3 coram before / in the presence of PREP+ABL
4 populo people ABL.SG.M
5 terræ of the land GEN.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Adoravit Abraham coram populo terræ — a simple declarative sentence with verb–subject–prepositional phrase order, typical of Vulgate narrative style. The perfect tense (adoravit) denotes a completed act of reverence.
Prepositional Phrase: coram populo terræ — functions adverbially, indicating location and audience: “before the people of the land.” The genitive terræ limits populo (“the people belonging to the land”).
Overall Syntax: The clause portrays Abraham’s humility and respect, emphasizing public recognition of Ephron’s people during the transaction. It likely signals Abraham’s acceptance of their terms in a formal, visible gesture.

Morphology

  1. Adoravit — Lemma: adoro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect indicative active third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “he bowed / he worshipped”; Notes: The term can denote either worship of God or an act of homage before humans. Here it conveys reverent gratitude before witnesses.
  2. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative masculine singular (indeclinable); Function: subject; Translation: “Abraham”; Notes: Patriarch of faith; performs an act of respect within a civic negotiation.
  3. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses presence or audience; Translation: “before / in the presence of”; Notes: Legal or ceremonial term ensuring public acknowledgment of actions.
  4. populo — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative masculine singular; Function: object of coram; Translation: “people”; Notes: Refers to the assembly or witnesses of the Hittite community.
  5. terræ — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive feminine singular; Function: dependent genitive with populo; Translation: “of the land”; Notes: Identifies local inhabitants as rightful owners and witnesses of the covenantal transaction.

 

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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