Genesis 7:19

Posted on January 7, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 7:19 Et aquæ prævaluerunt nimis super terram: opertique sunt omnes montes excelsi sub universo cælo.

And the waters prevailed greatly upon the earth: and all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 aquæ waters NOUN.NOM.PL.F
3 prævaluerunt prevailed VERB.3PL.PERF.IND.ACT
4 nimis exceedingly ADV
5 super upon / over PREP+ACC
6 terram earth NOUN.ACC.SG.F
7 opertique and they were covered VERB.PERF.PTCP.NOM.PL.M + ENCL
8 sunt were VERB.3PL.PRES.IND.ACT (AUX)
9 omnes all ADJ.NOM.PL.M
10 montes mountains NOUN.NOM.PL.M
11 excelsi high / lofty ADJ.NOM.PL.M
12 sub under PREP+ABL
13 universo whole / entire ADJ.ABL.SG.M
14 cælo heaven / sky NOUN.ABL.SG.M

Syntax

The verse comprises two coordinated clauses linked by Et.
In the first, aquæ prævaluerunt nimis super terram, the nominative plural subject aquæ governs the perfect verb prævaluerunt (“prevailed”), describing the overwhelming dominance of the floodwaters. The adverb nimis intensifies the force of the event, while the prepositional phrase super terram specifies the domain of the flood.
In the second clause, opertique sunt omnes montes excelsi sub universo cælo, the perfect participle operti (with enclitic -que) forms a periphrastic perfect with sunt. The subject omnes montes excelsi conveys total geographical coverage, and the phrase sub universo cælo expresses universality — “under the whole heaven.”

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates the two clauses; Translation: and; Notes: links successive descriptions of the deluge.
  2. aquæ — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of prævaluerunt; Translation: waters; Notes: collective plural for floodwaters.
  3. prævaluerunt — Lemma: prævaleo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person plural perfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: prevailed; Notes: conveys complete overpowering or dominance.
  4. nimis — Lemma: nimis; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies prævaluerunt; Translation: exceedingly; Notes: denotes excess or extremity of intensity.
  5. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: upon / over; Notes: indicates domain of the waters.
  6. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: earth; Notes: designates the submerged world.
  7. opertique — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: Verb (perfect participle passive) + enclitic -que; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: predicate with sunt; Translation: and they were covered; Notes: describes total submersion of high ground.
  8. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb (auxiliary); Form: 3rd person plural present indicative active; Function: auxiliary of periphrastic perfect; Translation: were; Notes: forms compound perfect with operti.
  9. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies montes; Translation: all; Notes: universal quantifier emphasizing totality.
  10. montes — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of operti sunt; Translation: mountains; Notes: denotes elevated terrain.
  11. excelsi — Lemma: excelsus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies montes; Translation: high / lofty; Notes: distinguishes the greatest peaks.
  12. sub — Lemma: sub; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative; Translation: under; Notes: defines relation beneath the heavens.
  13. universo — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies cælo; Translation: whole / entire; Notes: conveys comprehensive extent.
  14. cælo — Lemma: cælum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of sub; Translation: heaven; Notes: expresses cosmic spatial frame: “beneath all the sky.”

 

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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