Genesis 30:21

Posted on January 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 30:21 Post quem peperit filiam, nomine Dinam.

After whom she bore a daughter, named Dina.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Post after PREP + ACC
2 quem whom ACC.SG.M.REL.PRON
3 peperit she bore 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 filiam daughter ACC.SG.F
5 nomine by name ABL.SG.N
6 Dinam Dinah ACC.SG.F.PROPN

Syntax

Temporal Phrase: Post quem (“after whom”) introduces a temporal relation, referring to Zebulun, the previously mentioned son.
Main Clause: peperit filiam — The verb peperit (“she bore”) governs filiam (“a daughter”) as its direct object.
Ablative of Specification: nomine Dinam — An ablative of specification expressing “by name Dinah,” identifying the daughter’s name.

Morphology

  1. Post — Lemma: post; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces temporal relation; Translation: “after”; Notes: Establishes sequence in the narrative following the birth of Zebulun.
  2. quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of post; Translation: “whom”; Notes: Refers to Zebulun, connecting the clause to the prior context.
  3. peperit — Lemma: pario; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “she bore”; Notes: Describes the completed act of childbirth.
  4. filiam — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of peperit; Translation: “daughter”; Notes: Refers to Dinah, Leah’s daughter by Jacob.
  5. nomine — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of specification; Translation: “by name”; Notes: Used idiomatically in Latin to specify the given name of a person.
  6. Dinam — Lemma: Dina; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: apposition to filiam; Translation: “Dinah”; Notes: The only daughter of Jacob and Leah mentioned by name, later central to Genesis 34.

 

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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