Genesis 35:24

Posted on February 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 35:24 Filii Rachel: Ioseph et Beniamin.

The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Filii sons NOUN.NOM.PL.M
2 Rachel of Rachel PROP.NOUN.GEN.SG.F
3 Ioseph Joseph PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
4 et and CONJ
5 Beniamin Benjamin PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Nominative Phrase: Filii Rachel — the head noun Filii (“sons”) is modified by the genitive Rachel (“of Rachel”), forming the subject or topic phrase “the sons of Rachel.”
Appositive Enumeration: Ioseph et Beniamin — two coordinate proper nouns functioning in apposition to the head noun, linked by et (“and”), identifying Rachel’s two sons.

Morphology

  1. Filii — Lemma: fīlius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject or nominative head of the clause; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Introduces the genealogical unit derived from Rachel.
  2. Rachel — Lemma: Rachel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of possession modifying “Filii”; Translation: “of Rachel”; Notes: Marks maternal lineage; Hebrew origin meaning “ewe.”
  3. Ioseph — Lemma: Ioseph; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: appositive naming the first son; Translation: “Joseph”; Notes: Firstborn son of Rachel, later ruler in Egypt.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates the two appositives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects Ioseph and Beniamin in simple addition.
  5. Beniamin — Lemma: Beniamin; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: second element of apposition; Translation: “Benjamin”; Notes: Younger son of Rachel, meaning “son of the right hand.”

 

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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