Genesis 25:12

Posted on January 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 25:12 Hæ sunt generationes Ismael filii Abrahæ, quem peperit ei Agar Ægyptia, famula Saræ: et

These are the generations of Ismael, the son of Abraham, whom Agar the Egyptian, the handmaid of Sara, bore to him; and

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæ These DEM.PRON.NOM.PL.F
2 sunt are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
3 generationes generations NOUN.NOM.PL.F
4 Ismael Ishmael PROPN.GEN.SG.M
5 filii of the son NOUN.GEN.SG.M
6 Abrahæ of Abraham PROPN.GEN.SG.M
7 quem whom REL.PRON.ACC.SG.M
8 peperit bore 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 ei to him PRON.DAT.SG.M
10 Agar Hagar PROPN.NOM.SG.F
11 Ægyptia Egyptian ADJ.NOM.SG.F
12 famula handmaid NOUN.NOM.SG.F
13 Saræ of Sarah PROPN.GEN.SG.F
14 et and CONJ

Syntax

Main Clause: Hæ sunt generationes Ismael filii Abrahæ — Hæ (subject) + sunt (verb) + generationes (predicate nominative) forming a copular statement introducing a genealogical record.
The relative clause quem peperit ei Agar Ægyptia, famula Saræ modifies Ismael, identifying his maternal lineage.
Within the clause, quem is the object of peperit, Agar Ægyptia the subject, and ei the indirect object referring to Abraham.
The noun phrase famula Saræ appositionally defines Agar’s social role.

Morphology

  1. Hæ — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject; Translation: “These”; Notes: Refers to the genealogical record following.
  2. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd person plural; Function: copula; Translation: “are”; Notes: Links subject and predicate nominative.
  3. generationes — Lemma: generatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “generations”; Notes: Introduces a genealogy section.
  4. Ismael — Lemma: Ismael; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive genitive modifying “filii”; Translation: “of Ismael”; Notes: Marks the genealogy’s focus.
  5. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: “of the son”; Notes: Further identifies Ismael as Abraham’s son.
  6. Abrahæ — Lemma: Abraham; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: “of Abraham”; Notes: Completes the identification of lineage.
  7. quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of “peperit”; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Refers to Ismael as the one born to Abraham.
  8. peperit — Lemma: pario; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd person singular; Function: predicate of the relative clause; Translation: “bore”; Notes: Describes Agar’s act of bearing a son.
  9. ei — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of “peperit”; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Abraham as the recipient of the child.
  10. Agar — Lemma: Agar; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of “peperit”; Translation: “Agar”; Notes: Egyptian servant who bore Ismael.
  11. Ægyptia — Lemma: Ægyptius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: adjectival modifier of “Agar”; Translation: “Egyptian”; Notes: Denotes her nationality.
  12. famula — Lemma: famula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: apposition to “Agar”; Translation: “handmaid”; Notes: Identifies Agar’s servile status in Sara’s household.
  13. Saræ — Lemma: Sara; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of possession modifying “famula”; Translation: “of Sara”; Notes: Establishes Agar’s relation to Sara as her servant.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links this verse to what follows; Translation: “and”; Notes: Signals continuation of the genealogical account.

 

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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