Genesis 24:52

Posted on January 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 24:52 Quod cum audisset puer Abraham, procidens adoravit in terram Dominum.

When the servant of Abraham heard this, he fell down and worshiped the LORD upon the ground.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quod which / what ACC.SG.N REL.PRON
2 cum when CONJ
3 audisset had heard 3SG.PLUPERF.ACT.SUBJ
4 puer servant / young man NOM.SG.M
5 Abraham Abraham GEN.SG.M PROPN
6 procidens falling down NOM.SG.M PTC.PRES.ACT
7 adoravit worshiped 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 in upon / on PREP+ACC
9 terram the ground / earth ACC.SG.F
10 Dominum LORD ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Quod cum audisset puer Abraham — a subordinate clause introduced by cum meaning “when,” with the pluperfect subjunctive audisset expressing prior action relative to the main verb. The subject puer Abraham literally means “the servant of Abraham,” where puer functions as a respectful title for a household attendant.
Main Clause: procidens adoravit in terram Dominum — the participle procidens (present active, “falling down”) describes manner, while the main verb adoravit conveys the completed act of worship. The prepositional phrase in terram signifies physical prostration, and Dominum (accusative object) marks the One worshiped — YHWH, rendered as “the LORD.”
The syntax portrays reverent immediacy: the servant responds to divine providence with humble worship, emphasizing gratitude and submission.

Morphology

  1. Quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative Pronoun; Form: Accusative Singular Neuter; Function: Introduces subordinate clause; Translation: “which / what”; Notes: Refers to the preceding statement of divine approval.
  2. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Temporal conjunction; Translation: “when”; Notes: Governs subjunctive for temporal relation.
  3. audisset — Lemma: audio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Pluperfect Active Subjunctive Third Person Singular; Function: Verb of temporal clause; Translation: “had heard”; Notes: Denotes completed hearing prior to worship.
  4. puer — Lemma: puer; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Subject of audisset and adoravit; Translation: “servant / young man”; Notes: Here used for “servant,” Abraham’s household steward.
  5. Abraham — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying puer; Translation: “of Abraham”; Notes: Marks belonging or service relationship.
  6. procidens — Lemma: procido; Part of Speech: Verb (Participle); Form: Present Active Participle Nominative Singular Masculine; Function: Circumstantial participle of manner; Translation: “falling down”; Notes: Describes bodily gesture of reverence preceding worship.
  7. adoravit — Lemma: adoro; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect Active Indicative Third Person Singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “worshiped”; Notes: Perfect denotes completed action in devotion.
  8. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs Accusative; Function: Expresses motion toward; Translation: “upon / on”; Notes: Indicates downward movement or position.
  9. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “ground / earth”; Notes: Symbol of humility and submission.
  10. Dominum — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Direct object of adoravit; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH, the object of the servant’s worship.

 

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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