Numeri 34:26 (Numbers 34:26)

Posted on June 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 34:26 De tribu Issachar, dux Phaltiel filius Ozan.

From the tribe of Issachar, the prince Phaltiel son of Ozan.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 De from PREP+ABL
2 tribu the tribe ABL.SG.F 4TH DECL
3 Issachar of Issachar INDECL
4 dux the prince NOM.SG.M 3RD DECL.APPOS
5 Phaltiel Paltiel NOM.SG.M INDECL
6 filius son NOM.SG.M 2ND DECL.APPOS
7 Ozan of Azzan INDECL

Syntax

Continuation of the List: De tribu Issachar, dux Phaltiel filius Ozan continues the enumeration of the tribal representatives appointed to participate in the division of the Land. No finite verb is expressed because the construction depends on the earlier statement identifying the men chosen for this task.

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

Title and Name: dux Phaltiel identifies the representative as “the prince Phaltiel.” dux is nominative singular and functions as a title or appositional designation of Phaltiel, describing his leadership role within the tribe.

Genealogical Construction: filius Ozan means “son of Ozan.” filius stands in nominative apposition to Phaltiel, while the indeclinable proper name Ozan depends on filius in a genitival sense.

Morphology

  1. De — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the ablative; Function: Introduces tribu Issachar as the tribal source of the named representative; Translation: “from”; Notes: The preposition continues the recurring formula identifying each appointed representative 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 following proper name Issachar specifies which tribal group is represented.
  3. Issachar — Lemma: Issachar; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Dependent modifier of tribu, equivalent in sense to “of Issachar”; Translation: “of Issachar”; Notes: The name remains formally unchanged while identifying the tribe from which Phaltiel is appointed.
  4. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, third declension; Function: Appositional title identifying Phaltiel as a tribal leader; Translation: “the prince”; Notes: Literally denoting a leader or guide, dux here functions as a title for the tribal representative and is naturally rendered “prince” in the context of the preceding principes.
  5. Phaltiel — Lemma: Phaltiel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Names the representative from the tribe of Issachar; Translation: “Phaltiel”; Notes: The preceding dux gives his leadership title, while the following filius Ozan supplies his genealogical identification.
  6. filius — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Apposition to Phaltiel; Translation: “son”; Notes: It introduces the standard genealogical construction identifying Phaltiel through his father.
  7. Ozan — Lemma: Ozan; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Dependent modifier of filius, equivalent in sense to “of Ozan”; Translation: “of Ozan”; Notes: The genitival relationship is conveyed syntactically, identifying Ozan as the father of Phaltiel.

 

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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