Genesis 7:10

Posted on January 7, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 7:10 Cumque transissent septem dies, aquæ diluvii inundaverunt super terram.

And when seven days had passed, the waters of the flood overflowed upon the earth.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ.TEMP
2 transissent had passed VERB.3PL.PLUPERF.ACT.SUBJ
3 septem seven NUM.INDECL
4 dies days NOUN.NOM.PL.M
5 aquæ waters NOUN.NOM.PL.F
6 diluvii of the flood NOUN.GEN.SG.N
7 inundaverunt overflowed / flooded VERB.3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
8 super upon / over PREP+ACC
9 terram earth NOUN.ACC.SG.F

Syntax

The temporal clause Cumque transissent septem dies (“and when seven days had passed”) sets the chronological stage for the onset of the flood.
Cumque combines the conjunction cum (“when”) with the enclitic -que (“and”), creating a connective transition from the previous narrative.
Within the clause, septem dies is the nominative subject of the pluperfect subjunctive verb transissent, indicating a completed interval of waiting.
The main clause aquæ diluvii inundaverunt super terram expresses the event itself: aquæ (subject) modified by diluvii (genitive of description) and the verb inundaverunt (perfect indicative) mark the outbreak of divine judgment.
The prepositional phrase super terram specifies the sphere affected — “upon the earth.”

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + que; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: compound temporal connective; Function: introduces subordinate time clause; Translation: and when; Notes: links temporal clause to narrative sequence.
  2. transissent — Lemma: transeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person plural pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: main verb in temporal clause; Translation: had passed; Notes: subjunctive marks temporal subordination following “cum.”
  3. septem — Lemma: septem; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: numerical modifier of “dies”; Translation: seven; Notes: quantity marking period of delay before flood.
  4. dies — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of “transissent”; Translation: days; Notes: temporal measure of waiting.
  5. aquæ — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of main verb “inundaverunt”; Translation: waters; Notes: plural representing floodwaters.
  6. diluvii — Lemma: diluvium; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive of description; Translation: of the flood; Notes: specifies type of waters.
  7. inundaverunt — Lemma: inundo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of the sentence; Translation: overflowed / flooded; Notes: denotes completed onset of the flood.
  8. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses spatial extension; Translation: upon / over; Notes: commonly used for covering or spreading actions.
  9. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of “super”; Translation: earth; Notes: denotes the surface covered by floodwaters.

 

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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