Genesis 8:6

Posted on January 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 8:6 Cumque transissent quadraginta dies, aperiens Noe fenestram arcæ, quam fecerat, dimisit corvum:

And when forty days had passed, Noe, opening the window of the ark which he had made, sent forth a raven.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ.SUBORD + ENCL
2 transissent had passed VERB.3PL.PLUPERF.SUBJ.ACT
3 quadraginta forty NUM.INDECL
4 dies days NOUN.NOM.PL.M
5 aperiens opening VERB.PRES.PTCP.NOM.SG.M
6 Noe Noah NOUN.NOM.SG.M (INDECL)
7 fenestram window NOUN.ACC.SG.F
8 arcæ of the ark NOUN.GEN.SG.F
9 quam which PRON.REL.ACC.SG.F
10 fecerat he had made VERB.3SG.PLUPERF.IND.ACT
11 dimisit he sent forth VERB.3SG.PERF.IND.ACT
12 corvum raven NOUN.ACC.SG.M

Syntax

The temporal clause Cumque transissent quadraginta dies introduces the setting with Cumque (a subordinating conjunction with enclitic -que), followed by the pluperfect subjunctive transissent (“had passed”), indicating completed duration prior to the main action.
The participial phrase aperiens Noe fenestram arcæ, quam fecerat expresses simultaneous action—Noe opens the window of the ark which he himself had constructed.
The main clause dimisit corvum contains the perfect active verb dimisit and its direct object corvum (“raven”), describing the sending forth of the bird as the first test of the earth’s dryness.
The sentence’s structure flows chronologically from condition to action, balancing subordination and main narration in typical biblical Latin rhythm.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + -que; Part of Speech: Conjunction (temporal) + enclitic; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces subordinate temporal clause; Translation: and when; Notes: combines temporal relation and continuation from previous verse.
  2. transissent — Lemma: transeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person plural pluperfect subjunctive active; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: had passed; Notes: subjunctive used with temporal cum.
  3. quadraginta — Lemma: quadraginta; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: quantifier modifying dies; Translation: forty; Notes: expresses duration of waiting period.
  4. dies — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of transissent; Translation: days; Notes: temporal measure of divine timing.
  5. aperiens — Lemma: aperio; Part of Speech: Verb (present participle active); Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies Noe; Translation: opening; Notes: participle denotes simultaneous action with dimisit.
  6. Noe — Lemma: Noe; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine (indeclinable); Function: subject of aperiens and dimisit; Translation: Noe; Notes: consistent nominative usage despite Greek origin.
  7. fenestram — Lemma: fenestra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of aperiens; Translation: window; Notes: architectural element of the ark.
  8. arcæ — Lemma: arca; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the ark; Notes: specifies which window is being opened.
  9. quam — Lemma: qui, quæ, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of fecerat; Translation: which; Notes: agrees with fenestram.
  10. fecerat — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person singular pluperfect indicative active; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: he had made; Notes: prior completed action to aperiens.
  11. dimisit — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: he sent forth; Notes: expresses main narrative action following preparation.
  12. corvum — Lemma: corvus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of dimisit; Translation: raven; Notes: the first bird sent to test the abating of waters.

 

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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