Genesis 10:4

Posted on January 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 10:4 Filii autem Iavan: Elisa et Tharsis, Cetthim et Dodanim.

And the sons of Javan: Elisa, and Tharsis, Cetthim, and Dodanim.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Filii sons N.NOM.PL.M
2 autem however CONJ.ADV
3 Iavan of Javan N.GEN.SG.M
4 Elisa Elishah N.NOM.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 Tharsis Tarshish N.NOM.SG.M
7 Cetthim Kittim N.NOM.SG.M
8 et and CONJ
9 Dodanim Dodanim N.NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Main Phrase: Filii autem Iavan — nominative subject phrase introducing another genealogical sub-section: “And the sons of Javan.”
Appositive List: Elisa et Tharsis, Cetthim et Dodanim — coordinated nominatives identifying the individual descendants. The conjunction et links parallel items in balanced pairs.
Word Order: The particle autem provides a mild transition from the previous genealogy (sons of Gomer) to the next (sons of Javan).

Morphology

  1. Filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative plural masculine; Function: Subject heading for the genealogy; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Introduces Javan’s descendants.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunctive adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Connective particle; Translation: “however / moreover”; Notes: Used to shift focus to a new genealogical branch.
  3. Iavan — Lemma: Iavan; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying filii; Translation: “of Javan”; Notes: Denotes patriarchal origin of listed sons.
  4. Elisa — Lemma: Elisa; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition to filii; Translation: “Elishah”; Notes: First descendant in the list, possibly linked to Greek regions.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Coordinates nouns; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects Elisa and Tharsis.
  6. Tharsis — Lemma: Tharsis; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition; Translation: “Tarshish”; Notes: Second descendant; associated with maritime trade regions.
  7. Cetthim — Lemma: Cetthim; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Apposition; Translation: “Kittim”; Notes: Possibly refers to inhabitants of Cyprus or coastal areas of the Aegean.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Coordinates last two nouns; Translation: “and”; Notes: Typical of biblical Latin enumeration style.
  9. Dodanim — Lemma: Dodanim; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Final appositive; Translation: “Dodanim”; Notes: Last in the genealogy, corresponding to ancient peoples near Rhodes or Dodona.

 

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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