Genesis 36:34

Posted on February 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 36:34 Cumque mortuus esset Iobab, regnavit pro eo Husam de terra Themanorum.

And when Jobab had died, Husam from the land of the Themanites reigned in his place.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 mortuus died PART.PERF.PASS.NOM.SG.M
3 esset had been / was V.3SG.PLUPERF.SUBJ.ACT (AUX)
4 Iobab Jobab PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
5 regnavit reigned V.3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 pro in place of PREP+ABL
7 eo him PRON.PERS.ABL.SG.M
8 Husam Husham PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
9 de from PREP+ABL
10 terra land NOUN.ABL.SG.F
11 Themanorum of the Temanites NOUN.GEN.PL.M

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque mortuus esset Iobab —
The conjunction cumque (“and when”) introduces a subordinate temporal clause. mortuus esset forms a pluperfect periphrastic construction (“had died”), with Iobab as the subject. This clause establishes the temporal setting for Husam’s succession.

Main Clause: regnavit pro eo Husam de terra Themanorum —
The verb regnavit (“reigned”) is the main predicate. The prepositional phrase pro eo (“in his place”) indicates succession. The subject Husam is further identified by the locative phrase de terra Themanorum (“from the land of the Temanites”), specifying his origin.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + -que; Part of Speech: subordinating conjunction with enclitic; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: Combines coordination (-que) and subordination (cum) for narrative flow.
  2. mortuus — Lemma: morior; Part of Speech: deponent verb (participle); Form: perfect participle nominative singular masculine; Function: part of periphrastic predicate; Translation: “died”; Notes: Passive in form but active in meaning; agrees with Iobab.
  3. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: auxiliary verb; Form: 3rd person singular pluperfect subjunctive active; Function: auxiliary of periphrastic tense; Translation: “had been / was”; Notes: Subjunctive triggered by temporal cum clause expressing background event.
  4. Iobab — Lemma: Iobab; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of mortuus esset; Translation: “Jobab”; Notes: The previously reigning king of Edom.
  5. regnavit — Lemma: regnō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: “reigned”; Notes: Marks the beginning of Husam’s kingship following Jobab’s death.
  6. pro — Lemma: prō; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses substitution; Translation: “in place of”; Notes: Denotes succession or replacement.
  7. eo — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of pro; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Jobab, the deceased ruler.
  8. Husam — Lemma: Husam; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of regnavit; Translation: “Husam / Husham”; Notes: Successor to Jobab, one of the early Edomite kings.
  9. de — Lemma: dē; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses origin; Translation: “from”; Notes: Introduces geographical source or provenance.
  10. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: “land”; Notes: Refers to the region inhabited by the Temanites.
  11. Themanorum — Lemma: Thēmanus; Part of Speech: noun (gentilic); Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: genitive of possession or origin; Translation: “of the Temanites”; Notes: Designates a clan or tribe of Edom; linked to Teman, a grandson of Esau.

 

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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