Genesis 8:15

Posted on January 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

15 Locutus est autem Deus ad Noe, dicens:

Then God spoke to Noe, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutus spoken VERB.PERF.PTCP.NOM.SG.M.PASS (DEP)
2 est was / has VERB.3SG.PRES.IND.ACT (AUX)
3 autem however / then CONJ.ADV
4 Deus God NOUN.NOM.SG.M
5 ad to / toward PREP+ACC
6 Noe Noah NOUN.ACC.SG.M (PROPER)
7 dicens saying VERB.PRES.PTCP.NOM.SG.M.ACT

Syntax

The clause Locutus est autem Deus ad Noe is a perfect passive deponent construction, with locutus est (literally “has spoken”) functioning actively.
The adverbial conjunction autem introduces narrative progression — “then” or “now.”
ad Noe expresses the recipient of divine communication through the preposition ad with accusative.
The participle dicens (“saying”) introduces the upcoming divine speech, functioning as a supplementary participle linked to the verb of speaking.

Morphology

  1. Locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle passive (deponent in active sense); Function: predicate with est; Translation: spoken / has spoken; Notes: deponent verb with active meaning though passive in form.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person singular present indicative active (auxiliary); Function: auxiliary forming perfect tense; Translation: has; Notes: used with perfect participle to create deponent perfect.
  3. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction / adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces contrast or transition; Translation: however / then; Notes: marks continuity or shift in narrative.
  4. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of locutus est; Translation: God; Notes: agent of speech act.
  5. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates direction or recipient; Translation: to / toward; Notes: introduces indirect object.
  6. Noe — Lemma: Noe; Part of Speech: Noun (proper); Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Noe; Notes: recipient of divine communication.
  7. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Verb (participle); Form: nominative singular masculine present participle active; Function: circumstantial participle introducing direct speech; Translation: saying; Notes: anticipates following divine utterance.

 

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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