Genesis 46:24

Posted on February 15, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 46:24 Filii Nephthali: Iasiel et Guni et Ieser et Sallem.

The sons of Naphtali: Jasiel and Guni and Jeser and Sallem.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Filii sons NOM.PL.M
2 Nephthali of Naphtali GEN.SG.M
3 Iasiel Jahzeel NOM.SG.M
4 et and CONJ
5 Guni Guni NOM.SG.M
6 et and CONJ
7 Ieser Jezer NOM.SG.M
8 et and CONJ
9 Sallem Shillem NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Heading: Filii Nephthali is a genealogical heading: Filii (nominative plural) is the head noun “sons,” modified by Nephthali in the genitive of relationship “of Naphtali.”
Coordinated List: Iasiel, Guni, Ieser, Sallem are nominative items in apposition to the heading, joined by et in a paratactic list characteristic of Vulgate genealogies.

Morphology

  1. Filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: genealogical heading and syntactic subject; Translation: “sons”; Notes: standard introductory term in tribal genealogies.
  2. Nephthali — Lemma: Nephthali; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of relationship modifying Filii; Translation: “of Naphtali”; Notes: identifies the tribal ancestor.
  3. Iasiel — Lemma: Iasiel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: first son listed in nominative apposition; Translation: “Jasiel”; Notes: one of Naphtali’s descendants.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: coordinating conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects Iasiel with Guni in the list; Translation: “and”; Notes: simple additive coordination used repetitively in genealogies.
  5. Guni — Lemma: Guni; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: second coordinated nominative element; Translation: “Guni”; Notes: appears in the tribal records of Naphtali.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: coordinating conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links Guni to Ieser; Translation: “and”; Notes: maintains equal syntactic weight across the list.
  7. Ieser — Lemma: Ieser; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: third son in the genealogical series; Translation: “Ieser”; Notes: nominative apposition to the heading.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: coordinating conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects Ieser to Sallem; Translation: “and”; Notes: final additive connector before the last element.
  9. Sallem — Lemma: Sallem; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: final son listed; Translation: “Sallem”; Notes: completes the enumeration of Naphtali’s descendants.

 

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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