Genesis 10:26

Posted on January 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 10:26 Qui Iectan genuit Elmodad, et Saleph, et Asarmoth, Iare,

And Jectan begot Elmodad, and Saleph, and Asarmoth, and Jare.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Qui who NOM.SG.M.REL.PRON
2 Iectan Jectan NOM.SG.M
3 genuit begot 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
4 Elmodad Elmodad ACC.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 Saleph Saleph ACC.SG.M
7 et and CONJ
8 Asarmoth Asarmoth ACC.SG.M
9 Iare Jare ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Qui Iectan genuit Elmodad, et Saleph, et Asarmoth, Iare — “Who Jectan begot Elmodad, and Saleph, and Asarmoth, and Jare.”
The relative pronoun Qui resumes Iectan from the previous verse, continuing his genealogy. The verb genuit governs a series of direct objects—each proper noun functioning as the name of a son.
Structure: The genealogical chain now shifts focus to Joktan’s descendants, beginning a long series that geographically links to Arabian tribes and territories in the south.

Morphology

  1. Qui — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Subject of genuit; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to Iectan in continuation from the prior verse; introduces relative clause expanding the genealogy.
  2. Iectan — Lemma: Iectan; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Appositive restating the subject; Translation: “Jectan”; Notes: Hebrew Yaqtan (Joktan), identified with Arabian tribal ancestors.
  3. genuit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect active indicative, 3rd person singular; Function: Main verb of the clause; Translation: “begot”; Notes: Standard genealogical verb expressing paternity or ancestral lineage.
  4. Elmodad — Lemma: Elmodad; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of genuit; Translation: “Elmodad”; Notes: Possibly represents an Arabian tribe; the name is of Semitic origin meaning “God is love” or “God has measured.”
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects coordinate objects; Translation: “and”; Notes: Maintains genealogical rhythm through parataxis.
  6. Saleph — Lemma: Saleph; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “Saleph”; Notes: Probably identical with the Arabic Salif tribe, located in southern Arabia.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links next item in the list; Translation: “and”; Notes: Consistent connective particle in Biblical Latin lists.
  8. Asarmoth — Lemma: Asarmoth; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Direct object of genuit; Translation: “Asarmoth”; Notes: Possibly corresponds to the Arabic Hazarmaveth (Hadramaut), a region in southern Arabia near Yemen.
  9. Iare — Lemma: Iare; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Final object of genuit; Translation: “Jare”; Notes: Hebrew Yerah (“moon”), identified with a southern Arabian people, possibly linked to the city of Jerah in Yemen.

 

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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