Genesis 8:5

Posted on January 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 8:5 At vero aquæ ibant et decrescebant usque ad decimum mensem: decimo enim mense, primo die mensis, apparuerunt cacumina montium.

But indeed the waters were going and diminishing until the tenth month: for in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 At but CONJ.ADV
2 vero indeed / truly ADV.EMPH
3 aquæ waters NOUN.NOM.PL.F
4 ibant were going VERB.3PL.IMPERF.IND.ACT
5 et and CONJ
6 decrescebant were diminishing VERB.3PL.IMPERF.IND.ACT
7 usque until PREP+ACC
8 ad to / until PREP+ACC
9 decimum tenth ADJ.ACC.SG.M
10 mensem month NOUN.ACC.SG.M
11 decimo in the tenth ADJ.ABL.SG.M
12 enim for CONJ.EXPL
13 mense in the month NOUN.ABL.SG.M
14 primo first ADJ.ABL.SG.M
15 die day NOUN.ABL.SG.M
16 mensis of the month NOUN.GEN.SG.M
17 apparuerunt appeared VERB.3PL.PERF.IND.ACT
18 cacumina tops / summits NOUN.NOM.PL.N
19 montium of the mountains NOUN.GEN.PL.M

Syntax

The opening clause At vero aquæ ibant et decrescebant uses the imperfect tense twice (ibant, decrescebant) to depict continuous action — the gradual retreat of the waters.
The prepositional phrase usque ad decimum mensem indicates duration up to a specific time limit (“until the tenth month”).
The second clause, introduced by the explanatory enim (“for”), clarifies the moment when visible land reappears: decimo enim mense, primo die mensis, apparuerunt cacumina montium.
Here, apparuerunt serves as the main verb, with cacumina montium (nominative + genitive) as its subject phrase, marking the first sign of post-diluvian hope — the mountain peaks emerging from beneath the floodwaters.

Morphology

  1. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces contrastive clause; Translation: but; Notes: contrasts the previous rest of the ark with continued water movement.
  2. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: emphasizes affirmation; Translation: indeed / truly; Notes: adds strength to the contrast introduced by At.
  3. aquæ — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of ibant and decrescebant; Translation: waters; Notes: agent of natural recession.
  4. ibant — Lemma: eo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: were going; Notes: imperfect marks continuous retreat.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates verbs; Translation: and; Notes: links twin processes of motion and reduction.
  6. decrescebant — Lemma: decresco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: were diminishing; Notes: describes gradual lessening of floodwaters.
  7. usque — Lemma: usque; Part of Speech: Preposition / Adverb; Form: governs ad + accusative; Function: emphasizes continuity; Translation: until; Notes: forms temporal boundary phrase with ad.
  8. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces terminus of motion or time; Translation: to / until; Notes: paired with usque for duration.
  9. decimum — Lemma: decimus; Part of Speech: Adjective (ordinal); Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies mensem; Translation: tenth; Notes: indicates month number.
  10. mensem — Lemma: mensis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: month; Notes: marks the end of the period of diminishing waters.
  11. decimo — Lemma: decimus; Part of Speech: Adjective (ordinal); Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: in the tenth; Notes: temporal specification of the next clause.
  12. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces explanation; Translation: for; Notes: provides reason or clarification for prior statement.
  13. mense — Lemma: mensis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: in the month; Notes: paired with ordinal for temporal expression.
  14. primo — Lemma: primus; Part of Speech: Adjective (ordinal); Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies die; Translation: first; Notes: indicates first day of the tenth month.
  15. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: day; Notes: continues the chronological specificity.
  16. mensis — Lemma: mensis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of relation; Translation: of the month; Notes: clarifies temporal framework.
  17. apparuerunt — Lemma: appareo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person plural perfect indicative active; Function: main verb of the final clause; Translation: appeared; Notes: perfect indicates completed emergence.
  18. cacumina — Lemma: cacumen; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject of apparuerunt; Translation: tops / summits; Notes: neuter plural subject denoting visible peaks.
  19. montium — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the mountains; Notes: specifies the summits seen after the flood’s retreat.

 

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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