Genesis 3:24

Posted on January 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 3:24 Eiecitque Adam: et collocavit ante paradisum voluptatis Cherubim, et flammeum gladium, atque versatilem, ad custodiendam viam ligni vitæ.

And He cast out Adam; and He placed before the garden of delight the Cherubim, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to guard the way of the tree of life.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Eiecitque and He cast out 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC
2 Adam Adam ACC.SG.M
3 et and CONJ
4 collocavit placed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 ante before PREP+ACC
6 paradisum garden ACC.SG.M
7 voluptatis of delight GEN.SG.F
8 Cherubim Cherubim ACC.PL.M.HEB.BORROWING
9 et and CONJ
10 flammeum flaming ACC.SG.M.ADJ
11 gladium sword ACC.SG.M
12 atque and also CONJ
13 versatilem turning / revolving ACC.SG.M.ADJ
14 ad to / for PREP+ACC
15 custodiendam guarding GERUNDIVE.ACC.SG.F
16 viam way / path ACC.SG.F
17 ligni of the tree GEN.SG.N
18 vitæ of life GEN.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Eiecitque Adam — “And He cast out Adam.”
The enclitic -que attaches to eiecit, linking this act to the previous narrative of expulsion. The direct object Adam receives the action, emphasizing divine judgment.

Main Clause 2: et collocavit ante paradisum voluptatis Cherubim, et flammeum gladium atque versatilem — “and He placed before the garden of delight the Cherubim, and a flaming sword turning every way.”
Here collocavit governs multiple direct objects — Cherubim and gladium (modified by flammeum atque versatilem). The prepositional phrase ante paradisum voluptatis marks their position as guardians at Eden’s eastern gate.

Purpose Clause: ad custodiendam viam ligni vitæ — “to guard the way of the tree of life.”
The preposition ad with a gerundive expresses purpose. The phrase conveys the divine restriction preventing humanity’s reentry to immortality.

Morphology

  1. Eiecitque — Lemma: eicio; Part of Speech: Verb + Enclitic; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “and He cast out”; Notes: Compound of eicio (“to expel”) with enclitic -que linking to the next clause.
  2. Adam — Lemma: Adam; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of Eiecitque; Translation: “Adam”; Notes: The human expelled from Eden.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates the second divine action; Translation: “and.”
  4. collocavit — Lemma: colloco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “placed / set”; Notes: Denotes deliberate divine placement for protection.
  5. ante — Lemma: ante; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Indicates location; Translation: “before / in front of.”
  6. paradisum — Lemma: paradisus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of ante; Translation: “garden”; Notes: Refers to Eden as the place of delight.
  7. voluptatis — Lemma: voluptas; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular feminine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying paradisum; Translation: “of delight”; Notes: Highlights the paradise’s original joy now lost.
  8. Cherubim — Lemma: Cherubim; Part of Speech: Noun (Hebrew borrowing); Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Direct object of collocavit; Translation: “Cherubim”; Notes: Celestial beings serving as divine sentinels.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates the second object (gladium); Translation: “and.”
  10. flammeum — Lemma: flammeus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Modifies gladium; Translation: “flaming”; Notes: Describes the fiery nature of the weapon.
  11. gladium — Lemma: gladius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of collocavit; Translation: “sword”; Notes: Symbol of divine justice and prevention of access.
  12. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connective intensifier; Translation: “and also / and moreover.”
  13. versatilem — Lemma: versatilis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Secondary modifier of gladium; Translation: “turning / revolving”; Notes: Suggests dynamic, constant motion guarding all directions.
  14. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Introduces purpose; Translation: “to / for.”
  15. custodiendam — Lemma: custodio; Part of Speech: Verb (gerundive); Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Gerundive of purpose modifying viam; Translation: “guarding”; Notes: Denotes intended protective function.
  16. viam — Lemma: via; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine; Function: Direct object of ad custodiendam; Translation: “way / path.”
  17. ligni — Lemma: lignum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular neuter; Function: Possessive genitive modifying viam; Translation: “of the tree.”
  18. vitæ — Lemma: vita; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular feminine; Function: Genitive modifier of ligni; Translation: “of life”; Notes: Refers to the tree of eternal life denied to mankind.

 

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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