Genesis 10:21

Posted on January 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 10:21 De Sem quoque nati sunt, patre omnium filiorum Heber, fratre Iapheth maiore.

And to Sem also were born sons, the father of all the sons of Heber, the brother of Japheth the elder.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 De from PREP+ABL
2 Sem Sem ABL.SG.M
3 quoque also ADV
4 nati were born NOM.PL.M.PERF.PASS.PART
5 sunt were 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND.AUX
6 patre father ABL.SG.M
7 omnium of all GEN.PL.M
8 filiorum sons GEN.PL.M
9 Heber Heber GEN.SG.M
10 fratre brother ABL.SG.M
11 Iapheth Japheth GEN.SG.M
12 maiore elder ABL.SG.M.COMP.ADJ

Syntax

Main Clause: De Sem quoque nati sunt — “And to Sem also were born sons.” The prepositional phrase De Sem (ablative of source) indicates origin, while the participle nati with auxiliary sunt forms the perfect passive, expressing completed birth.
Appositive Phrase: patre omnium filiorum Heber — “the father of all the sons of Heber,” describing Sem’s role as ancestor of the Hebrews. The ablative absolute structure (patre…) adds descriptive identification rather than a separate clause.
Additional Description: fratre Iapheth maiore — “the brother of Japheth the elder,” another ablative absolute explaining Sem’s relation to Japheth.
Word Order: Reflects genealogical solemnity: name first, then action (nati sunt), then relational and genealogical identifiers.

Morphology

  1. De — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Indicates source or origin; Translation: “from”; Notes: Introduces the progenitor from whom descendants proceed.
  2. Sem — Lemma: Sem; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Object of de; Translation: “Sem”; Notes: Eldest or second son of Noah, progenitor of the Semitic peoples.
  3. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Adds emphasis meaning “also” or “likewise”; Translation: “also”; Notes: Balances with previous clause on Cham and Japheth, introducing Sem’s line.
  4. nati — Lemma: nascor; Part of Speech: Verb (deponent participle); Form: Perfect participle, nominative plural masculine; Function: Predicate participle with sunt; Translation: “were born”; Notes: Used deponently to denote birth or generation; agrees with implied filii.
  5. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active indicative, 3rd person plural (auxiliary); Function: Completes perfect periphrastic construction with nati; Translation: “were”; Notes: Expresses completed past event in narrative tense.
  6. patre — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Ablative of respect or description; Translation: “father”; Notes: Appositive referring to Sem as the ancestral patriarch of the Hebrews.
  7. omnium — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective/pronominal; Form: Genitive plural masculine; Function: Modifies filiorum; Translation: “of all”; Notes: Emphasizes universality of Sem’s paternal relation to the sons of Heber.
  8. filiorum — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive plural masculine; Function: Dependent genitive with omnium; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Denotes descendants; here specifically the lineage of Heber (Eber).
  9. Heber — Lemma: Heber; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying filiorum; Translation: “of Heber”; Notes: Progenitor of the Hebrews; his name gives rise to the term “Hebrew.”
  10. fratre — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Ablative of relationship (absolute); Translation: “brother”; Notes: Refers to Sem’s kinship with Japheth, distinguishing them among Noah’s sons.
  11. Iapheth — Lemma: Iapheth; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive with fratre; Translation: “of Japheth”; Notes: One of the three sons of Noah, ancestor of Indo-European nations.
  12. maiore — Lemma: maior; Part of Speech: Adjective (comparative of magnus); Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Adjectival modifier agreeing with fratre; Translation: “the elder”; Notes: Clarifies that Japheth was older than Sem, though textual traditions vary on this detail.

 

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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