Genesis 8:13

Posted on January 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 8:13 Igitur sexcentesimo primo anno, primo mense, prima die mensis imminutæ sunt aquæ super terram: et aperiens Noe tectum arcæ, aspexit, viditque quod exiccata esset superficies terræ.

Therefore, in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were diminished upon the earth: and Noe, opening the roof of the ark, looked out and saw that the surface of the earth was dried up.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Igitur therefore / then CONJ.ADV
2 sexcentesimo six hundredth ADJ.ABL.SG.M.ORD
3 primo first ADJ.ABL.SG.M.ORD
4 anno year NOUN.ABL.SG.M
5 primo first ADJ.ABL.SG.M.ORD
6 mense month NOUN.ABL.SG.M
7 prima first ADJ.ABL.SG.F.ORD
8 die day NOUN.ABL.SG.F
9 mensis of the month NOUN.GEN.SG.M
10 imminutæ were diminished VERB.3PL.PERF.IND.PASS
11 sunt were VERB.3PL.PRES.IND.ACT (AUX)
12 aquæ waters NOUN.NOM.PL.F
13 super upon PREP+ACC
14 terram earth NOUN.ACC.SG.F
15 et and CONJ
16 aperiens opening VERB.PRES.PTCP.NOM.SG.M.ACT
17 Noe Noah NOUN.NOM.SG.M
18 tectum roof NOUN.ACC.SG.N
19 arcæ of the ark NOUN.GEN.SG.F
20 aspexit looked out VERB.3SG.PERF.IND.ACT
21 viditque and saw VERB.3SG.PERF.IND.ACT + ENCL
22 quod that CONJ.COMP
23 exiccata dried up VERB.PERF.PTCP.NOM.SG.F.PASS
24 esset was VERB.3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.ACT (AUX)
25 superficies surface NOUN.NOM.SG.F
26 terræ of the earth NOUN.GEN.SG.F

Syntax

The temporal ablatives sexcentesimo primo anno, primo mense, prima die mensis establish the precise date of the event — an ablative of time when.
The main clause imminutæ sunt aquæ super terram employs the perfect passive of imminuo, signifying the abatement of the floodwaters.
The participial clause et aperiens Noe tectum arcæ introduces a circumstantial action, followed by coordinated main verbs aspexit and viditque.
The indirect statement quod exiccata esset superficies terræ expresses what Noe perceived, with the pluperfect subjunctive esset indicating completed drying.
The syntax balances chronological precision with narrative transition — from divine restraint of the waters to human observation of renewal.

Morphology

  1. Igitur — Lemma: igitur; Part of Speech: Conjunction / adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: marks conclusion or continuation; Translation: therefore / then; Notes: introduces chronological development.
  2. sexcentesimo — Lemma: sescentesimus; Part of Speech: Adjective (ordinal); Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies anno; Translation: six hundredth; Notes: expresses date in ablative of time.
  3. primo — Lemma: primus; Part of Speech: Adjective (ordinal); Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies anno; Translation: first; Notes: continues date expression.
  4. anno — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: year; Notes: complements ordinal adjectives.
  5. primo — Lemma: primus; Part of Speech: Adjective (ordinal); Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies mense; Translation: first; Notes: continues date sequence.
  6. mense — Lemma: mensis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: month; Notes: second temporal ablative.
  7. prima — Lemma: primus; Part of Speech: Adjective (ordinal); Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies die; Translation: first; Notes: specifies day.
  8. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: day; Notes: third element of temporal triad.
  9. mensis — Lemma: mensis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of specification; Translation: of the month; Notes: clarifies the calendrical unit.
  10. imminutæ — Lemma: imminuo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: nominative plural feminine perfect participle passive; Function: predicate in passive construction; Translation: diminished; Notes: used with auxiliary sunt to form perfect passive.
  11. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person plural present indicative active; Function: auxiliary for perfect passive; Translation: were; Notes: combines with imminutæ to express “were diminished.”
  12. aquæ — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of imminutæ sunt; Translation: waters; Notes: floodwaters diminishing.
  13. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates spatial relation; Translation: upon / over; Notes: locative preposition of extent.
  14. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: earth; Notes: defines area affected by flood.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: introduces next narrative action.
  16. aperiens — Lemma: aperio; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: nominative singular masculine present participle active; Function: modifies Noe; Translation: opening; Notes: participle of attendant circumstance.
  17. Noe — Lemma: Noe; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of aspexit and viditque; Translation: Noe; Notes: performs both visual actions.
  18. tectum — Lemma: tectum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of aperiens; Translation: roof; Notes: literal element of the ark opened for observation.
  19. arcæ — Lemma: arca; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of the ark; Notes: denotes possession of the roof.
  20. aspexit — Lemma: aspicio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: looked out; Notes: initial act of perception.
  21. viditque — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active + enclitic -que; Function: coordinated main verb; Translation: and saw; Notes: emphasizes observation and realization.
  22. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: Conjunction (complementizer); Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces indirect statement; Translation: that; Notes: links mental perception with fact.
  23. exiccata — Lemma: exsiccō; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: nominative singular feminine perfect participle passive; Function: predicate of subordinate clause; Translation: dried up; Notes: describes the state of the land.
  24. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect subjunctive active; Function: auxiliary in indirect statement; Translation: was; Notes: subjunctive due to indirect discourse after vidit.
  25. superficies — Lemma: superficies; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of esset; Translation: surface; Notes: refers to visible ground.
  26. terræ — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the earth; Notes: defines whose surface was dry.

 

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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