Genesis 36:3

Posted on February 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 36:3 Basemath quoque filiam Ismael sororem Nabaioth.

Also Basemath, the daughter of Ismael, the sister of Nabaioth.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Basemath Basemath PROP.NOUN.ACC.SG.F
2 quoque also ADV
3 filiam daughter NOUN.ACC.SG.F
4 Ismael of Ishmael PROP.NOUN.GEN.SG.M
5 sororem sister NOUN.ACC.SG.F
6 Nabaioth of Nebaioth PROP.NOUN.GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Appositive Phrase: Basemath quoque filiam Ismael — elliptical construction continuing the object from the previous verse: “(Esau took) also Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael.”
Descriptive Apposition: sororem Nabaioth — further specifies Basemath’s identity, “the sister of Nabaioth.” The apposition expands on familial relationships without a finite verb, typical of genealogical style.

Morphology

  1. Basemath — Lemma: Basemath; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: implied direct object of “accepit” from prior verse; Translation: “Basemath”; Notes: Third wife of Esau, descendant of Ishmael.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds inclusion or emphasis; Translation: “also”; Notes: Continues enumeration of Esau’s wives.
  3. filiam — Lemma: fīlia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: appositive or complement to “Basemath”; Translation: “daughter”; Notes: Introduces parentage of Basemath.
  4. Ismael — Lemma: Ismael; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession modifying “filiam”; Translation: “of Ishmael”; Notes: Identifies patriarchal descent.
  5. sororem — Lemma: soror; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: apposition to “filiam Ismael”; Translation: “sister”; Notes: Indicates additional kinship relation.
  6. Nabaioth — Lemma: Nabaioth; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession modifying “sororem”; Translation: “of Nabaioth”; Notes: Eldest son of Ishmael, identifying Basemath by her brother.

 

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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