Numeri 34:22 (Numbers 34:22)

Posted on June 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 34:22 De tribu filiorum Dan, Bocci filius Iogli.

From the tribe of the children of Dan, Bocci son of Jogli.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 De from PREP+ABL
2 tribu the tribe ABL.SG.F 4TH DECL
3 filiorum of the children GEN.PL.M 2ND DECL
4 Dan of Dan INDECL
5 Bocci Bukki NOM.SG.M INDECL
6 filius son NOM.SG.M 2ND DECL.APPOS
7 Iogli of Jogli INDECL

Syntax

Continuation of the List: De tribu filiorum Dan, Bocci filius Iogli continues the enumeration of the tribal princes appointed to take part in the division of the Land. No finite verb is expressed because the construction depends on the earlier statement identifying the representatives.

Tribal Identification: De tribu filiorum Dan means “from the tribe of the children of Dan.” De governs the ablative tribu. The genitive plural filiorum depends on tribu, while the indeclinable proper name Dan specifies whose descendants are meant.

Naming Construction: Bocci is the nominative name of the representative from the tribe of Dan. filius stands in nominative apposition to Bocci and introduces his genealogical identification.

Genealogical Construction: filius Iogli means “son of Jogli.” The proper name Iogli depends on filius in a genitival sense, identifying Bocci through his father.

Morphology

  1. De — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the ablative; Function: Introduces tribu filiorum Dan as the tribal source of the named representative; Translation: “from”; Notes: The preposition continues the recurring formula by which each appointed prince is identified according to his tribe.
  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 noun is further defined by the genitive phrase filiorum Dan, identifying the tribal group as the descendants of Dan.
  3. filiorum — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive plural masculine, second declension; Function: Genitive dependent on tribu; Translation: “of the children”; Notes: The expression tribu filiorum Dan identifies the tribe through descent from the patriarch Dan.
  4. Dan — Lemma: Dan; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Specifies filiorum in a genitival sense; Translation: “of Dan”; Notes: The name remains formally unchanged, while the surrounding syntax gives the sense “the children of Dan.”
  5. Bocci — Lemma: Bocci; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Names the representative from the tribe of Dan; Translation: “Bocci”; Notes: The following filius Iogli supplies Bocci’s genealogical identification within the list of tribal princes.
  6. filius — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Apposition to Bocci; Translation: “son”; Notes: It introduces the standard genealogical construction identifying the representative through his father.
  7. Iogli — Lemma: Iogli; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Dependent modifier of filius, equivalent in sense to “of Iogli”; Translation: “of Jogli”; Notes: The genitival relationship is supplied by syntax, identifying Jogli as the father of Bocci.

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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