Numeri 34:20 (Numbers 34:20)

Posted on June 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 34:20 De tribu Simeon, Samuel filius Ammiud.

From the tribe of Simeon, Samuel son of Ammiud.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 De from PREP+ABL
2 tribu the tribe ABL.SG.F 4TH DECL
3 Simeon of Simeon INDECL
4 Samuel Shemuel NOM.SG.M INDECL
5 filius son NOM.SG.M 2ND DECL.APPOS
6 Ammiud of Ammihud INDECL

Syntax

Continuation of the List: De tribu Simeon, Samuel filius Ammiud continues the enumeration of the tribal princes introduced in the preceding verses. No finite verb is expressed because the construction depends on the earlier statement identifying the men appointed to divide the Land.

Tribal Identification: De tribu Simeon means “from the tribe of Simeon.” De governs the ablative tribu, while the indeclinable proper name Simeon specifies the tribe in a genitival sense.

Naming Construction: Samuel is the nominative name of the representative from the tribe of Simeon. The nominative noun filius stands in apposition to Samuel and supplies his genealogical identification.

Genealogical Construction: filius Ammiud means “son of Ammiud.” The indeclinable proper name Ammiud depends on filius in a genitival sense, identifying Samuel by his father.

Morphology

  1. De — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the ablative; Function: Introduces tribu Simeon as the tribal source of the named representative; Translation: “from”; Notes: The phrase follows the recurring formula used to identify each prince by the tribe he represents.
  2. tribu — Lemma: tribus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine, fourth declension; Function: Object of the preposition De; Translation: “the tribe”; Notes: The following proper name Simeon specifies which tribal group is meant.
  3. Simeon — Lemma: Simeon; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Dependent modifier of tribu, equivalent in sense to “of Simeon”; Translation: “of Simeon”; Notes: The name remains formally unchanged while identifying the tribe represented by Samuel.
  4. Samuel — Lemma: Samuel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Names the representative from the tribe of Simeon; Translation: “Samuel”; Notes: The following filius Ammiud supplies his genealogical identification.
  5. filius — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Apposition to Samuel; Translation: “son”; Notes: It forms the standard genealogical construction used to identify Samuel through his father.
  6. Ammiud — Lemma: Ammiud; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Dependent modifier of filius, equivalent in sense to “of Ammiud”; Translation: “of Ammiud”; Notes: The genitival relationship is expressed syntactically because the proper name itself remains indeclinable.

 

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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