Numeri 24:20 (Numbers 24:20)

Posted on May 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 24:20 Cumque vidisset Amalec, assumens parabolam, ait: Principium Gentium Amalec, cuius extrema perdentur.

And when he had seen Amalec, taking up the parable, he said: “Amalec is the first of the nations, whose end shall perish.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 vidisset he had seen 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
3 Amalec Amalek ACC.SG.M
4 assumens taking up NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
5 parabolam parable ACC.SG.F
6 ait he said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 Principium first NOM.SG.N
8 Gentium of the nations GEN.PL.F
9 Amalec Amalek NOM.SG.M
10 cuius whose GEN.SG.M.REL
11 extrema end NOM.PL.N
12 perdentur shall perish 3PL.FUT.PASS.IND

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque vidisset Amalec introduces the circumstance preceding Balaam’s oracle concerning Amalec.

Participial Construction: assumens parabolam describes Balaam taking up or uttering the prophetic saying.

Main Clause: ait introduces the spoken oracle.

Predicate Construction: Principium Gentium Amalec identifies Amalec as foremost among the nations.

Genitive Phrase: Gentium modifies Principium, specifying the sphere in which Amalec is considered first.

Relative Clause: cuius extrema perdentur predicts the destruction of Amalec’s final outcome or descendants.

Passive Future Construction: perdentur expresses future destruction or disappearance.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Temporal conjunction with enclitic conjunction; Function: Introduces temporal subordinate clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: The enclitic -que connects this event with the previous oracle.
  2. vidisset — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: Verb of temporal clause; Translation: “he had seen”; Notes: The subjunctive follows the temporal conjunction cum.
  3. Amalec — Lemma: Amalec; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine indeclinable; Function: Direct object of vidisset; Translation: “Amalec”; Notes: Refers to the Amalekite people or kingdom.
  4. assumens — Lemma: assumo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: Circumstantial participle modifying the implied subject Balaam; Translation: “taking up”; Notes: Refers to formally uttering the oracle.
  5. parabolam — Lemma: parabola; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular feminine first declension; Function: Direct object of assumens; Translation: “parable”; Notes: Refers to a prophetic saying or oracle.
  6. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular present active indicative; Function: Main introductory verb of direct speech; Translation: “he said”; Notes: Commonly introduces prophetic or solemn speech.
  7. Principium — Lemma: principium; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular neuter second declension; Function: Predicate nominative; Translation: “first”; Notes: Literally means “beginning” or “chief place,” expressing prominence.
  8. Gentium — Lemma: gens; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive plural feminine third declension; Function: Genitive modifier of Principium; Translation: “of the nations”; Notes: Refers to peoples or tribal groups.
  9. Amalec — Lemma: Amalec; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine indeclinable; Function: Subject linked with Principium; Translation: “Amalec”; Notes: Presented as preeminent among hostile nations.
  10. cuius — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Genitive singular masculine; Function: Introduces relative clause; Translation: “whose”; Notes: Refers back to Amalec.
  11. extrema — Lemma: extremum; Part of Speech: Noun used substantivally; Form: Nominative plural neuter; Function: Subject of perdentur; Translation: “end”; Notes: Refers to the final outcome, latter state, or descendants.
  12. perdentur — Lemma: perdo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person plural future passive indicative; Function: Main verb of relative clause; Translation: “shall perish”; Notes: Expresses future destruction and disappearance.

 

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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