Numeri 32:37 (Numbers 32:37)

Posted on May 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 32:37 Filii vero Ruben ædificaverunt Hesebon, et Eleale, et Cariathaim,

But the sons of Ruben built Hesebon, and Eleale, and Cariathaim,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Filii the sons NOM.PL.M
2 vero but CONJ.INVAR
3 Ruben of Reuben INDECL
4 ædificaverunt they built 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
5 Hesebon Heshbon INDECL.OBJ
6 et and CONJ.INVAR
7 Eleale Elealeh INDECL.OBJ
8 et and CONJ.INVAR
9 Cariathaim Kiriathaim INDECL.OBJ

Syntax

Main Clause: Filii vero Ruben ædificaverunt shifts the narrative from the building activity of the sons of Gad to that of the sons of Ruben. Filii Ruben is the subject, and ædificaverunt is the main verb.

Discourse Marker: vero marks the transition and mild contrast between the preceding account of Gad’s construction and the corresponding activity of Ruben.

Subject: Filii Ruben means “the sons of Ruben.” Filii is nominative plural and serves as the grammatical subject, while the indeclinable Ruben specifies the tribe.

Direct Objects: Hesebon, Eleale, and Cariathaim are coordinated direct objects of ædificaverunt. They identify the cities built or rebuilt by the sons of Ruben.

Morphology

  1. Filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative plural masculine, second declension; Function: Subject of ædificaverunt; Translation: “the sons”; Notes: It denotes the members or descendants of the tribe identified by Ruben.
  2. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable postpositive connective; Function: Marks a transition and mild contrast with the preceding account; Translation: “but”; Notes: Here it shifts attention from the cities built by Gad to those built by Ruben rather than expressing a strong opposition.
  3. Ruben — Lemma: Ruben; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Genitival specification of Filii; Translation: “of Ruben”; Notes: It identifies the tribal group responsible for the construction described in this verse.
  4. ædificaverunt — Lemma: ædifico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person plural, perfect active indicative, first conjugation; Function: Main verb of the sentence; Translation: “they built”; Notes: In the context of already existing settlements, the verb can include rebuilding, restoring, or developing the named cities.
  5. Hesebon — Lemma: Hesebon; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable, functioning as accusative; Function: Direct object of ædificaverunt; Translation: “Hesebon”; Notes: It names the first city in the list associated here with the building activity of Ruben.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable coordinating conjunction; Function: Connects Hesebon and Eleale; Translation: “and”; Notes: It links the city names as coordinated objects of the same verb.
  7. Eleale — Lemma: Eleale; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable, functioning as accusative; Function: Direct object of ædificaverunt; Translation: “Eleale”; Notes: It names the second city in the sequence built or restored by the sons of Ruben.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable coordinating conjunction; Function: Connects Eleale and Cariathaim; Translation: “and”; Notes: It introduces the final city named in this verse.
  9. Cariathaim — Lemma: Cariathaim; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable, functioning as accusative; Function: Direct object of ædificaverunt; Translation: “Cariathaim”; Notes: It completes this portion of the list of settlements built or restored by the sons of Ruben.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Numeri. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.