Genesis 36:41

Posted on February 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 36:41 dux Oolibama, dux Ela, dux Phinon,

duke Oolibama, duke Ela, duke Phinon,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 dux duke / chief NOM.SG.M
2 Oolibama Oholibamah NOM.SG.F
3 dux duke / chief NOM.SG.M
4 Ela Elah NOM.SG.M
5 dux duke / chief NOM.SG.M
6 Phinon Pinon NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Appositional Series: dux Oolibama, dux Ela, dux Phinon —
This verse consists of a nominative series, each pair dux + proper noun functioning appositionally. The repetition of dux emphasizes distinct leadership titles within Esau’s lineage, marking individual clan heads or chiefs of territories. The coordination implies enumeration rather than a complete sentence.

Morphology

  1. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun (title); Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: appositive title before each proper name; Translation: “chief”; Notes: Title indicating an Edomite clan leader. The repeated use underlines independent tribal identity.
  2. Oolibama — Lemma: Oolibama; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: apposition to dux; Translation: “Oolibama”; Notes: Derived from Esau’s wife Oolibama, representing her clan or territorial lineage; feminine form functioning as a proper clan title.
  3. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun (title); Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: repeated titular noun introducing a new chief; Translation: “chief”; Notes: Parallel structure typical of genealogical lists; each dux denotes a separate leader.
  4. Ela — Lemma: Ela; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: apposition to dux; Translation: “Ela”; Notes: Another clan or tribal leader within Edom; possibly eponymous ancestor of a territory.
  5. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun (title); Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: title introducing the third proper name; Translation: “chief”; Notes: Maintains stylistic consistency across the verse; reflects the Hebrew ’alluphim structure.
  6. Phinon — Lemma: Phinon; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: apposition to dux; Translation: “Phinon”; Notes: Refers to a tribal division or territorial chief; final in this triadic sequence of Edomite leaders.

 

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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