Genesis 10:31

Posted on January 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 10:31 Isti filii Sem secundum cognationes et linguas, et regiones in gentibus suis.

These were the sons of Sem according to their kindreds, and tongues, and regions, in their nations.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Isti these NOM.PL.M.DEM.PRON
2 filii sons NOM.PL.M
3 Sem Shem GEN.SG.M
4 secundum according to PREP+ACC
5 cognationes kindreds ACC.PL.F
6 et and CONJ
7 linguas tongues ACC.PL.F
8 et and CONJ
9 regiones regions ACC.PL.F
10 in in PREP+ABL
11 gentibus nations ABL.PL.F
12 suis their ABL.PL.F.POSS.PRON

Syntax

Main Clause: Isti filii Sem — “These were the sons of Sem.”
The demonstrative pronoun Isti serves as the subject, emphasizing the specific group just mentioned. Filii Sem functions as a predicate nominative construction identifying the individuals belonging to Shem’s lineage.
Prepositional Phrase: secundum cognationes et linguas, et regiones — expresses classification according to three sociocultural markers: family relations, languages, and territorial divisions.
Locative Phrase: in gentibus suis — “in their nations,” situates these groups within the broader ethnological framework introduced in Genesis 10, linking them to their settled tribal territories.
The verse provides a symmetrical conclusion to the genealogical record of Shem, mirroring earlier formulaic summaries for Japheth (v.5) and Ham (v.20).

Morphology

  1. Isti — Lemma: iste, ista, istud; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Nominative plural masculine; Function: Subject; Translation: “these”; Notes: Points deictically to the descendants of Shem just enumerated; expresses emphasis or summation.
  2. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative plural masculine; Function: Predicate nominative; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Denotes lineal descendants or tribes; here functioning as a collective noun for Shem’s posterity.
  3. Sem — Lemma: Sem; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying filii; Translation: “of Shem”; Notes: Marks genealogical lineage back to one of Noah’s three sons.
  4. secundum — Lemma: secundum; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs accusative; Function: Expresses standard or measure; Translation: “according to”; Notes: Introduces the categories defining their dispersion and organization.
  5. cognationes — Lemma: cognatio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Object of secundum; Translation: “kindreds / clans”; Notes: Refers to tribal and familial divisions within Shem’s descendants.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects parallel elements; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins linguistic and territorial groupings to familial divisions.
  7. linguas — Lemma: lingua; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Object of secundum; Translation: “tongues / languages”; Notes: Denotes linguistic distinctions marking tribal separation after Babel.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Links third coordinate noun; Translation: “and”; Notes: Maintains triadic structure of classification.
  9. regiones — Lemma: regio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Object of secundum; Translation: “regions / territories”; Notes: Refers to geographical divisions or areas occupied by Shem’s descendants.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governs ablative; Function: Introduces locative phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: Indicates sphere or area of existence.
  11. gentibus — Lemma: gens; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural feminine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “nations”; Notes: Refers to collective ethnic or national groupings emerging after the flood.
  12. suis — Lemma: suus, sua, suum; Part of Speech: Possessive pronoun; Form: Ablative plural feminine; Function: Possessive modifier of gentibus; Translation: “their”; Notes: Indicates each group’s own national territory and cultural identity.

 

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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