Genesis 5:28

Posted on January 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 5:28 Vixit autem Lamech centum octoginta duobus annis, et genuit filium:

And Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and he begot a son.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vixit lived VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 autem however CONJ.ADV
3 Lamech Lamech PROPN.NOM.SG.M
4 centum hundred NUM.INDECL
5 octoginta eighty NUM.INDECL
6 duobus two NUM.ABL.PL.M
7 annis years NOUN.ABL.PL.M
8 et and CONJ
9 genuit begot VERB.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 filium son NOUN.ACC.SG.M

Syntax

The verse Vixit autem Lamech centum octoginta duobus annis, et genuit filium follows the genealogical pattern common in Genesis 5.
The subject Lamech and verb vixit form the main clause, expressing the duration of Lamech’s life before fatherhood.
The conjunction autem introduces contrastive continuity within the genealogy, distinguishing this entry from the preceding one.
The phrase centum octoginta duobus annis functions as an ablative of time how long (“for one hundred and eighty-two years”).
The coordinated clause et genuit filium continues the record, introducing the unnamed son with genuit as the perfect active main verb and filium as its direct object.

Morphology

  1. Vixit — Lemma: vivo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: lived; Notes: indicates Lamech’s lifespan prior to the birth of his son.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction/Adverb; Form: coordinating; Function: marks narrative transition or contrast; Translation: however; Notes: often used in Latin genealogical and narrative prose to introduce a new section.
  3. Lamech — Lemma: Lamech; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of “vixit” and “genuit”; Translation: Lamech; Notes: patriarchal ancestor in the genealogy preceding the Flood.
  4. centum — Lemma: centum; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: hundred; Notes: first element of compound numeral phrase.
  5. octoginta — Lemma: octoginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: eighty; Notes: second element of compound number.
  6. duobus — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies “annis”; Translation: two; Notes: completes the total number of years (182).
  7. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: ablative of time how long; Translation: years; Notes: denotes duration of life before parenthood.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: connects the two clauses; Translation: and; Notes: standard genealogical connector.
  9. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of the second clause; Translation: begot; Notes: expresses the birth event of the next patriarch.
  10. filium — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of “genuit”; Translation: son; Notes: unnamed here, later identified as Noah in the next verse.

 

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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