Numeri 31:12 (Numbers 31:12)

Posted on May 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 31:12 et adduxerunt ad Moysen, et Eleazarum sacerdotem, et ad omnem multitudinem filiorum Israel. reliqua autem utensilia portaverunt ad castra in campestribus Moab iuxta Iordanem contra Iericho.

and they brought them to Moyses, and to Eleazar the priest, and to the whole multitude of the sons of Israel. But the remaining equipment they brought to the camp in the plains of Moab beside the Jordan opposite Jericho.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 adduxerunt they brought 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
3 ad to PREP+ACC
4 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 Eleazarum Eleazar ACC.SG.M
7 sacerdotem the priest ACC.SG.M
8 et and CONJ
9 ad to PREP+ACC
10 omnem the whole ACC.SG.F
11 multitudinem multitude ACC.SG.F
12 filiorum of the sons GEN.PL.M
13 Israel Israel INDECL.PROPN
14 reliqua the remaining ACC.PL.N
15 autem however CONJ
16 utensilia equipment ACC.PL.N
17 portaverunt they carried 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
18 ad to PREP+ACC
19 castra the camp ACC.PL.N
20 in in PREP+ABL
21 campestribus the plains ABL.PL.N
22 Moab Moab INDECL.PROPN
23 iuxta beside PREP+ACC
24 Iordanem the Jordan ACC.SG.M
25 contra opposite PREP+ACC
26 Iericho Jericho ACC.SG.F.INDECL

Syntax

1. Two Coordinated Main Clauses
The verse contains two independent clauses. The first is built around adduxerunt, while the second is built around portaverunt. Both verbs are third-person plural perfect active indicatives whose understood subject is the Israelite warriors.

2. Main Verb of the First Clause
adduxerunt governs the understood direct object (the captives and spoil mentioned in the preceding verse). The verb is followed by a series of prepositional phrases indicating the recipients to whom the spoil was brought.

3. Series of Prepositional Phrases
The phrases ad Moysen, Eleazarum sacerdotem, and ad omnem multitudinem filiorum Israel identify those before whom the spoil was presented. The second phrase omits the repeated preposition ad, a common Latin ellipsis, which is readily understood from the preceding construction.

4. Apposition
sacerdotem stands in apposition to Eleazarum. Both are accusative singular masculine because both depend upon the implied preposition ad. The noun identifies Eleazar by his office: “Eleazar the priest.”

5. Genitive Relationship
The expression filiorum Israel is a possessive genitive modifying multitudinem. Israel is indeclinable and depends upon filiorum. Together the phrase means “the multitude of the sons of Israel.”

6. Adversative Transition
autem introduces a mild contrast between the presentation of the captives and spoil to the leaders and the transportation of the remaining equipment to the camp. Rather than marking opposition, it shifts the narrative to another related action.

7. Direct Object of the Second Clause
reliqua utensilia forms the direct object of portaverunt. The adjective reliqua agrees with utensilia in neuter plural accusative and distinguishes these items as the remaining equipment or movable articles.

8. Destination
The phrase ad castra expresses the destination of the movement. Although castra is plural in form, it functions as a singular collective noun meaning “camp.” The preposition ad governs the accusative.

9. Successive Locative Expressions
The camp is described through a sequence of geographical phrases: in campestribus Moab, iuxta Iordanem, and contra Iericho. Together they narrow the location from the region (the plains of Moab), to the nearby landmark (the Jordan), and finally to its position opposite Jericho.

10. Overall Sentence Structure
The verse first records the formal presentation of the captives and spoil before Moses, Eleazar, and the assembled Israelites. It then shifts to the practical movement of the remaining equipment into the Israelite camp, ending with an increasingly precise geographical description of the camp’s location.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects this verse with the preceding narrative; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the sequence of events.
  2. adduxerunt — Lemma: adduco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person plural perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: Main verb of the first clause; Translation: “they brought”; Notes: Describes the completed act of bringing the captives and spoil.
  3. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative case; Function: Introduces the first recipient; Translation: “to”; Notes: Expresses direction toward a person.
  4. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “Moyses”; Notes: One of the leaders receiving the spoil.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Coordinates recipients; Translation: “and”; Notes: Links Moses and Eleazar.
  6. Eleazarum — Lemma: Eleazar; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of the understood preposition ad; Translation: “Eleazar”; Notes: The omitted ad is readily understood by ellipsis.
  7. sacerdotem — Lemma: sacerdos; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: Apposition to Eleazarum; Translation: “the priest”; Notes: Identifies Eleazar by his office.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces the final recipient; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the coordinated series.
  9. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative case; Function: Introduces the final recipient phrase; Translation: “to”; Notes: Expresses direction toward the assembled people.
  10. omnem — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: Modifies multitudinem; Translation: “the whole”; Notes: Emphasizes the entirety of the assembly.
  11. multitudinem — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, third declension; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “multitude”; Notes: Refers to the assembled people of Israel.
  12. filiorum — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive plural masculine, second declension; Function: Possessive genitive modifying multitudinem; Translation: “of the sons”; Notes: Specifies whose assembly is meant.
  13. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Dependent upon filiorum; Translation: “Israel”; Notes: Completes the expression “sons of Israel.”
  14. reliqua — Lemma: reliquus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: Modifies utensilia; Translation: “the remaining”; Notes: Distinguishes the remaining articles from those already presented.
  15. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces the second clause; Translation: “however”; Notes: Marks a mild narrative transition.
  16. utensilia — Lemma: utensile; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: Direct object of portaverunt; Translation: “equipment”; Notes: Refers to the remaining movable articles.
  17. portaverunt — Lemma: porto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person plural perfect active indicative, first conjugation; Function: Main verb of the second clause; Translation: “they carried”; Notes: Describes transporting the remaining equipment.
  18. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative case; Function: Introduces the destination; Translation: “to”; Notes: Expresses motion toward the camp.
  19. castra — Lemma: castra; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “the camp”; Notes: Although plural in form, castra is a plural-only noun meaning a military camp.
  20. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the ablative case; Function: Introduces the location; Translation: “in”; Notes: Expresses position rather than motion.
  21. campestribus — Lemma: campestris; Part of Speech: Adjective used substantivally; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: Object of in; Translation: “the plains”; Notes: Used substantivally to denote open plains.
  22. Moab — Lemma: Moab; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Dependent geographical name; Translation: “Moab”; Notes: Specifies which plains are meant.
  23. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative case; Function: Introduces a locational phrase; Translation: “beside”; Notes: Indicates proximity.
  24. Iordanem — Lemma: Iordanes; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of iuxta; Translation: “the Jordan”; Notes: Refers to the Jordan River.
  25. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative case; Function: Introduces the final geographical description; Translation: “opposite”; Notes: Indicates position facing another location.
  26. Iericho — Lemma: Iericho; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, indeclinable; Function: Object of contra; Translation: “Jericho”; Notes: Specifies the point opposite the Israelite camp.

 

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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