Genesis 4:24

Posted on January 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 4:24 Septuplum ultio dabitur de Cain: de Lamech vero septuagies septies.

Sevenfold vengeance shall be given for Cain; but for Lamech, seventy-sevenfold.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Septuplum sevenfold NOM.SG.N
2 ultio vengeance NOM.SG.F
3 dabitur shall be given 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND
4 de for / concerning PREP+ABL
5 Cain Cain ABL.SG.M (INDECL)
6 de for / concerning PREP+ABL
7 Lamech Lamech ABL.SG.M (INDECL)
8 vero however / indeed ADV
9 septuagies seventy times NUM.ADV
10 septies seven times NUM.ADV

Syntax

Clause 1: Septuplum ultio dabitur de Cain — Septuplum (nominative neuter) acts adverbially, expressing degree of retribution. Ultio (subject) governs the verb dabitur (future passive), indicating divine or legal retribution “shall be given for Cain.” The preposition de introduces the genitive source or person for whom vengeance is taken.
Clause 2: de Lamech vero septuagies septies — A contrastive elliptical clause where the verb dabitur is implied from the previous line. vero adds a contrasting emphasis (“but as for Lamech”), and the two numerical adverbs septuagies septies (“seventy-sevenfold”) intensify the measure of vengeance.

Morphology

  1. Septuplum — Lemma: septuplum; Part of Speech: Adjective / numeral used substantively; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Adverbial of degree modifying ultio; Translation: “sevenfold”; Notes: Expresses proportional measure of vengeance.
  2. ultio — Lemma: ultio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Subject of dabitur; Translation: “vengeance”; Notes: Central idea governing the prophetic declaration.
  3. dabitur — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Future passive indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “shall be given”; Notes: Divine passive construction.
  4. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Expresses reference or cause; Translation: “for / concerning”; Notes: Used idiomatically for one on whose behalf vengeance is taken.
  5. Cain — Lemma: Cain; Part of Speech: Proper noun (indeclinable); Form: Ablative singular masculine (by syntax); Function: Object of preposition de; Translation: “for Cain.”
  6. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Parallel to first de; Translation: “for / concerning”; Notes: Reintroduces comparative reference for the second clause.
  7. Lamech — Lemma: Lamech; Part of Speech: Proper noun (indeclinable); Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Object of de; Translation: “for Lamech.”
  8. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Contrastive particle; Translation: “however / but”; Notes: Marks a shift in emphasis or contrast to Cain’s vengeance.
  9. septuagies — Lemma: septuagies; Part of Speech: Numerical adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Modifies septies to create a compound multiplier; Translation: “seventy times”; Notes: Expresses numerical intensification.
  10. septies — Lemma: septies; Part of Speech: Numerical adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Completes numerical expression; Translation: “seven times”; Notes: Together with septuagies conveys “seventy-sevenfold.”

 

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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