Numeri 2:7 (Numbers 2:7)

Posted on April 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 2:7 In tribu Zabulon princeps fuit Eliab filius Helon.

In the tribe of Zabulon the leader was Eliab son of Helon.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 In in PREP+ABL
2 tribu tribe NOUN.ABL.SG.F.4TH DECL
3 Zabulon Zebulun NOUN.INDECL
4 princeps leader NOUN.NOM.SG.M.3RD DECL
5 fuit was 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 Eliab Eliab NOUN.NOM.SG.M.INDECL
7 filius son NOUN.NOM.SG.M.2ND DECL
8 Helon Helon NOUN.GEN.SG.M.INDECL

Syntax

Main Clause: princeps fuit — the core predication identifying the tribal leader.

Subject: princeps (“leader” or “chief”).

Verb: fuit — perfect tense of sum, used here in narrative description.

Predicate Identification: Eliab filius Helon, specifying the individual who held the leadership.

Prepositional Phrase: In tribu Zabulon — locative or contextual phrase indicating the tribe within which the leadership applies.

Appositional Construction: filius Helon identifies Eliab through paternal lineage.

Morphology

  1. In — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing ablative; Function: introduces a phrase indicating location or association; Translation: in; Notes: Here it situates the leadership within the specific tribe.
  2. tribu — Lemma: tribus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, fourth declension; Function: object of the preposition in; Translation: tribe; Notes: Refers to one of the tribal divisions of Israel.
  3. Zabulon — Lemma: Zabulon; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: appositional identifier of tribu; Translation: Zabulon; Notes: Hebrew tribal name preserved without Latin declension.
  4. princeps — Lemma: princeps; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, third declension; Function: subject of fuit; Translation: leader / chief; Notes: Denotes the appointed head or prince of a tribe.
  5. fuit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of the clause; Translation: was; Notes: Indicates the recorded leadership of the tribe.
  6. Eliab — Lemma: Eliab; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine indeclinable; Function: predicate identification of princeps; Translation: Eliab; Notes: Hebrew personal name meaning “My God is father.”
  7. filius — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine second declension; Function: apposition identifying lineage; Translation: son; Notes: Used to indicate paternal descent in genealogical references.
  8. Helon — Lemma: Helon; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine indeclinable; Function: dependent genitive modifying filius; Translation: of Helon; Notes: Hebrew personal name preserved in Latin narrative form.

 

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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