Genesis 35:25

Posted on February 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 35:25 Filii Balæ ancillæ Rachelis: Dan et Nephthali.

The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid: Dan and Nephthali.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Filii sons NOUN.NOM.PL.M
2 Balæ of Bilhah PROP.NOUN.GEN.SG.F
3 ancillæ handmaid NOUN.GEN.SG.F
4 Rachelis of Rachel PROP.NOUN.GEN.SG.F
5 Dan Dan PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
6 et and CONJ
7 Nephthali Naphtali PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Nominative Phrase: Filii Balæ ancillæ Rachelis — compound genitive phrase modifying Filii (“sons”), meaning “the sons of Bilhah, the handmaid of Rachel.” The appositive ancillæ Rachelis identifies Bilhah’s social relation and owner.
Appositional Enumeration: Dan et Nephthali — the two coordinate nouns name Bilhah’s sons, linked by et.

Morphology

  1. Filii — Lemma: fīlius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject or nominative head of the list; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Introduces the genealogical unit derived from Bilhah.
  2. Balæ — Lemma: Bala; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of possession modifying “Filii”; Translation: “of Bilhah”; Notes: Denotes maternal origin of these sons.
  3. ancillæ — Lemma: ancilla; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive apposition clarifying Bilhah’s role; Translation: “handmaid”; Notes: Expresses her status as servant or concubine.
  4. Rachelis — Lemma: Rachel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: dependent genitive modifying “ancillæ”; Translation: “of Rachel”; Notes: Indicates Bilhah’s mistress and owner.
  5. Dan — Lemma: Dan; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: first son listed; Translation: “Dan”; Notes: Name meaning “judge,” Rachel’s son through Bilhah.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: joins coordinate elements; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects the two sons’ names.
  7. Nephthali — Lemma: Nephthali; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: second coordinate name; Translation: “Naphtali”; Notes: Name meaning “my struggle,” second son of Bilhah and Jacob.

 

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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