Numeri 34:28 (Numbers 34:28)

Posted on June 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 34:28 De tribu Nephthali, Phedael filius Ammiud.

From the tribe of Nephthali, Phedael son of Ammiud.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 De from PREP+ABL
2 tribu the tribe ABL.SG.F 4TH DECL
3 Nephthali of Naphtali INDECL
4 Phedael Pedahel 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 Nephthali, Phedael filius Ammiud continues the enumeration of the tribal princes appointed to participate in the division of the Land. No finite verb is expressed because the construction depends on the earlier statement identifying the appointed representatives.

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

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

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

Morphology

  1. De — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the ablative; Function: Introduces tribu Nephthali 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 Nephthali specifies which tribal group is represented.
  3. Nephthali — Lemma: Nephthali; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Dependent modifier of tribu, equivalent in sense to “of Nephthali”; Translation: “of Nephthali”; Notes: The proper name remains formally unchanged while identifying the tribe from which Phedael is appointed.
  4. Phedael — Lemma: Phedael; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, indeclinable biblical proper name; Function: Names the representative from the tribe of Nephthali; Translation: “Phedael”; Notes: The following filius Ammiud supplies Phedael’s genealogical identification within the list of tribal princes.
  5. filius — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Apposition to Phedael; Translation: “son”; Notes: It introduces the standard genealogical construction identifying the named representative 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 conveyed syntactically, identifying Ammiud as the father of Phedael.

 

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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