Genesis 36:16

Posted on February 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 36:16 dux Core, dux Gathan, dux Amalech. hi filii Eliphaz in terra Edom, et hi filii Ada.

duke Core, duke Gathan, duke Amalech. These are the sons of Eliphaz in the land of Edom, and these are the sons of Ada.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 dux duke/chief NOUN.NOM.SG.M
2 Core Korah PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
3 dux duke/chief NOUN.NOM.SG.M
4 Gathan Gatam PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
5 dux duke/chief NOUN.NOM.SG.M
6 Amalech Amalek PROP.NOUN.NOM.SG.M
7 hi these PRON.DEM.NOM.PL.M
8 filii sons NOUN.NOM.PL.M
9 Eliphaz of Eliphaz PROP.NOUN.GEN.SG.M
10 in in PREP+ABL
11 terra land NOUN.ABL.SG.F
12 Edom Edom PROP.NOUN.ABL.SG.F
13 et and CONJ
14 hi these PRON.DEM.NOM.PL.M
15 filii sons NOUN.NOM.PL.M
16 Ada of Ada PROP.NOUN.GEN.SG.F

Syntax

Appositive List: dux Core, dux Gathan, dux Amalech —
Three coordinate nominative phrases, each consisting of the title dux (“chief”) followed by a proper name, representing the tribal leaders descended from Eliphaz.

Summary Clause: hi filii Eliphaz in terra Edom —
Subject hi (“these”), predicate nominative filii, and genitive Eliphaz defining lineage; locative phrase in terra Edom specifies region.

Coordinated Clause: et hi filii Ada —
Parallels the preceding clause, reidentifying the maternal line of Eliphaz’s offspring.

Morphology

  1. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: title before name; Translation: “chief”; Notes: Denotes tribal ruler; repeated formulaically for each descendant.
  2. Core — Lemma: Core; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: appositive to dux; Translation: “Korah”; Notes: Descendant of Eliphaz and Thamna, identified as a chief among Edomites.
  3. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: repeated title; Translation: “chief”; Notes: Establishes status in sequential listing.
  4. Gathan — Lemma: Gathan; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: appositive to dux; Translation: “Gatam”; Notes: Name of an Edomite clan leader derived from Eliphaz.
  5. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: title repeated; Translation: “chief”; Notes: Common genealogical repetition.
  6. Amalech — Lemma: Amalech; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: appositive to dux; Translation: “Amalek”; Notes: Founder of the Amalekites, mentioned separately to emphasize distinct lineage.
  7. hi — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of sunt (understood); Translation: “these”; Notes: Resumes and summarizes the preceding list.
  8. filii — Lemma: fīlius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Identifies the persons listed as offspring of Eliphaz.
  9. Eliphaz — Lemma: Eliphaz; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: “of Eliphaz”; Notes: Indicates paternal descent.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: Marks geographical context of the descendants.
  11. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “land”; Notes: Locative case within prepositional phrase.
  12. Edom — Lemma: Edom; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: genitive apposition with terra; Translation: “Edom”; Notes: Region associated with Esau’s descendants.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: joins coordinate clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links a new summary statement about Ada’s sons.
  14. hi — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of sunt (understood); Translation: “these”; Notes: Repeats structure from the previous clause.
  15. filii — Lemma: fīlius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “sons”; Notes: Completes identification of Ada’s offspring.
  16. Ada — Lemma: Ada; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of possession modifying filii; Translation: “of Ada”; Notes: Indicates maternal lineage of Eliphaz’s descendants.

 

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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