Genesis 5:26

Posted on January 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 5:26 Et vixit Mathusala, postquam genuit Lamech, septingentis octoginta duobus annis, et genuit filios et filias.

And Mathusala lived, after he had begotten Lamech, seven hundred and eighty-two years, and he begot sons and daughters.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 vixit lived VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Mathusala Mathusala PROPN.NOM.SG.M
4 postquam after CONJ.SUBORD
5 genuit had begotten VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 Lamech Lamech PROPN.ACC.SG.M
7 septingentis seven hundred NUM.ABL.PL.M
8 octoginta eighty NUM.INDECL
9 duobus two NUM.ABL.PL.M
10 annis years NOUN.ABL.PL.M
11 et and CONJ
12 genuit begot VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
13 filios sons NOUN.ACC.PL.M
14 et and CONJ
15 filias daughters NOUN.ACC.PL.F

Syntax

The sentence follows the genealogical formula typical of Genesis 5. The main clause Et vixit Mathusala presents Mathusala as the subject and vixit as the main verb, introducing the duration of life.
The temporal subordinate clause postquam genuit Lamech (“after he had begotten Lamech”) specifies the time after which the subsequent lifespan is measured.
The ablative phrase septingentis octoginta duobus annis serves as an ablative of time how long (“for seven hundred and eighty-two years”), expressing the total duration of life after fatherhood.
The final clause et genuit filios et filias completes the genealogical formula, indicating other offspring beyond the named heir.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects the verse with the preceding account; Translation: and; Notes: standard genealogical connector.
  2. vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: lived; Notes: expresses completed action over a definite lifespan.
  3. Mathusala — Lemma: Mathusala; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “vixit” and “genuit”; Translation: Mathusala; Notes: patriarch renowned for extreme longevity.
  4. postquam — Lemma: postquam; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces a temporal clause; Translation: after; Notes: governs the perfect indicative verb “genuit.”
  5. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of subordinate clause; Translation: had begotten; Notes: indicates completed event prior to the main clause action.
  6. Lamech — Lemma: Lamech; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: Lamech; Notes: refers to the son of Mathusala, father of Noah.
  7. septingentis — Lemma: septingenti; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: seven hundred; Notes: part of the compound numerical phrase.
  8. octoginta — Lemma: octoginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: eighty; Notes: second component of numerical expression.
  9. duobus — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: two; Notes: final component completing “782 years.”
  10. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: ablative of time how long; Translation: years; Notes: expresses lifespan following the birth of Lamech.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects the final clause; Translation: and; Notes: continues formulaic genealogical style.
  12. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of the concluding clause; Translation: begot; Notes: resumes genealogical phrasing of offspring.
  13. filios — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: sons; Notes: denotes additional descendants.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects the two objects; Translation: and; Notes: links “filios” with “filias.”
  15. filias — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: daughters; Notes: completes mention of unnamed offspring.

 

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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