Genesis 4:26

Posted on January 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 4:26 Sed et Seth natus est filius, quem vocavit Enos: iste cœpit invocare nomen Domini.

And to Seth also a son was born, whom he called Enos: this one began to call upon the name of the LORD.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sed but / and also CONJ.ADV
2 et also CONJ
3 Seth Seth DAT.SG.M (INDECL)
4 natus was born NOM.SG.M.PERF.PASS.PART
5 est was 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
6 filius son NOM.SG.M
7 quem whom ACC.SG.M.REL.PRON
8 vocavit called 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 Enos Enos ACC.SG.M (INDECL)
10 iste this one NOM.SG.M.DEMON.PRON
11 cœpit began 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
12 invocare to call upon PRES.ACT.INF
13 nomen name ACC.SG.N
14 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Sed et Seth natus est filius — The conjunctions Sed et introduce addition and contrast. The construction is impersonal in sense (“to Seth also a son was born”). natus est is a perfect passive periphrasis, with filius as the nominative subject and Seth in the dative of reference.
Relative Clause: quem vocavit Enos — The relative pronoun quem introduces the object of vocavit; Seth (implied subject) names his son Enos.
Main Clause 2: iste cœpit invocare nomen Domini — The demonstrative pronoun iste refers to Enos. The verb cœpit takes the complementary infinitive invocare, meaning “began to call upon,” with nomen Domini as its object (“the name of the LORD”).

Morphology

  1. Sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: Conjunction/adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Introduces addition or mild contrast; Translation: “but / and also”; Notes: In biblical Latin, sed et often equals “and also.”
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects Seth to the preceding genealogy; Translation: “also”; Notes: Reinforces continuity in the genealogical narrative.
  3. Seth — Lemma: Seth; Part of Speech: Proper noun (indeclinable); Form: Dative singular masculine; Function: Dative of reference; Translation: “to Seth”; Notes: Indicates the recipient or reference point of the passive action.
  4. natus — Lemma: nascor; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent participle); Form: Nominative singular masculine, perfect participle; Function: Predicate with est; Translation: “was born”; Notes: Deponent form functioning passively in sense; common in genealogical formulae.
  5. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: Auxiliary in perfect periphrastic; Translation: “was”; Notes: Forms compound perfect with natus.
  6. filius — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of natus est; Translation: “son”; Notes: The newly born child; thematic center of genealogy.
  7. quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of vocavit; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Refers to filius as antecedent.
  8. vocavit — Lemma: voco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: Main verb of relative clause; Translation: “called”; Notes: Denotes the naming act customary in genealogical context.
  9. Enos — Lemma: Enos; Part of Speech: Proper noun (indeclinable); Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Predicate accusative after vocavit; Translation: “Enos”; Notes: Hebrew אֱנוֹשׁ (ʾEnosh), meaning “man” or “mortal.”
  10. iste — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of cœpit; Translation: “this one”; Notes: Refers to Enos, marking him as distinct or significant in genealogy.
  11. cœpit — Lemma: coepi; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: Main verb; Translation: “began”; Notes: Commonly used with complementary infinitives to mark the start of a new practice or phase.
  12. invocare — Lemma: invoco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active infinitive; Function: Complementary infinitive with cœpit; Translation: “to call upon”; Notes: Indicates initiation of worship or prayer in the biblical sense.
  13. nomen — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter; Function: Object of invocare; Translation: “name”; Notes: In biblical idiom, “name” represents person or character of God.
  14. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying nomen; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH (יהוה); capitalized to reflect divine title.

 

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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