Numeri 35:1 (Numbers 35:1)

Posted on June 2, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 35:1 Hæc quoque locutus est Dominus ad Moysen in campestribus Moab supra Iordanem, contra Iericho:

The LORD also spoke these things to Moyses in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan, opposite Jericho:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæc these things DEM.ACC.PL.N
2 quoque also ADV.INVAR
3 locutus spoken PERF.DEP.PTCP.NOM.SG.M
4 est has 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M 2ND DECL
6 ad to PREP+ACC
7 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
8 in in PREP+ABL
9 campestribus the plains ABL.PL.N ADJ.POS
10 Moab of Moab INDECL
11 supra beyond PREP+ACC
12 Iordanem the Jordan ACC.SG.M 3RD DECL
13 contra opposite PREP+ACC
14 Iericho Jericho INDECL

Syntax

Main Clause: Hæc quoque locutus est Dominus ad Moysen is an independent declarative clause introducing another divine communication. The demonstrative pronoun Hæc identifies the things spoken, while quoque connects this statement with the preceding narrative by indicating an additional communication.

Subject: Dominus is the nominative singular subject of locutus est. It identifies the LORD as the speaker and the source of the instructions that follow.

Verb: locutus est is the third-person singular perfect indicative of the deponent verb loquor, meaning “spoke.” The perfect participle locutus agrees with Dominus in gender and number, while est supplies the auxiliary element. Although the construction has passive morphology, it conveys active meaning.

Direct Object: Hæc is the accusative plural neuter form of the demonstrative pronoun hic. It functions substantivally as the direct object of locutus est, meaning “these things,” and refers to the content of the divine communication.

Additive Adverb: quoque means “also.” It links the present communication with the preceding instructions and marks the introduction of additional divine speech rather than an entirely unrelated event.

Recipient Phrase: ad Moysen means “to Moses.” The preposition ad governs the accusative Moysen and identifies the person to whom the LORD addresses the communication.

Location Phrase: in campestribus Moab means “in the plains of Moab.” The preposition in governs the ablative plural campestribus, which is a substantivized adjective denoting level lands or plains. The indeclinable geographical name Moab specifies the territory associated with those plains.

Geographical Relationship: supra Iordanem identifies the location in relation to the Jordan River. The preposition supra governs the accusative Iordanem. In this setting, the phrase describes the plains of Moab on the eastern side of the Jordan, expressed here as “beyond the Jordan.”

Directional Identification: contra Iericho means “opposite Jericho.” The preposition contra introduces a geographical relationship rather than hostility. The indeclinable proper name Iericho identifies the city across from the location where the LORD speaks to Moses.

Clause Function: The complete sentence introduces a new set of divine instructions while maintaining continuity with the preceding narrative. Its geographical expressions identify the plains of Moab, near the Jordan and opposite Jericho, as the setting of the communication.

Morphology

  1. Hæc — Lemma: hic, hæc, hoc; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Accusative plural neuter; Function: Direct object of locutus est, identifying the content of the divine communication; Translation: “these things”; Notes: The neuter plural pronoun refers collectively to the matters spoken by the LORD and introduces the instructions that follow.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable additive adverb; Function: Expresses addition and connects the present communication with the preceding narrative; Translation: “also”; Notes: The adverb emphasizes that the LORD gives further instructions to Moses, continuing the sequence of divine communications.
  3. locutus — Lemma: loquor, loqui, locutus sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Perfect participle of a third-conjugation deponent verb, nominative singular masculine; Function: Combines with est to form the perfect indicative of loquor; Translation: “spoken”; Notes: The participle agrees with Dominus. As part of a deponent verbal construction, it expresses an active action despite its passive form.
  4. est — Lemma: sum, esse, fui; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third-person singular, present tense, active voice, indicative mood, irregular conjugation; Function: Auxiliary verb completing the perfect indicative construction locutus est; Translation: “has”; Notes: Together with locutus, it forms a completed past action naturally rendered in English as “spoke.”
  5. Dominus — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Subject of the verb locutus est; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: The noun refers to the God of Israel, whose instructions to Moses govern the narrative. The English capitalization LORD reflects this divine reference.
  6. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative; Function: Introduces Moysen as the recipient of the divine communication; Translation: “to”; Notes: With a verb of speaking, the preposition identifies the person toward whom the words are directed.
  7. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine, Greek-derived biblical name; Function: Object of the preposition ad, identifying the recipient of the LORD’s words; Translation: “Moses”; Notes: The accusative form Moysen reflects the Greek-influenced inflection of the name, while the English translation retains the standard form Moses.
  8. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the ablative in this construction; Function: Introduces the geographical setting expressed by campestribus Moab; Translation: “in”; Notes: The ablative construction describes the place where the communication occurs rather than movement into that place.
  9. campestribus — Lemma: campestris, campestre; Part of Speech: Adjective used substantivally; Form: Ablative plural neuter, third declension, positive degree; Function: Object of the preposition in, identifying the location of the divine communication; Translation: “the plains”; Notes: Derived from the idea of level or open country, the neuter plural form functions as a noun referring to the plains associated with Moab.
  10. Moab — Lemma: Moab; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical geographical name; Function: Dependent modifier of campestribus, equivalent in sense to “of Moab”; Translation: “of Moab”; Notes: The proper name identifies the territory east of the Dead Sea and remains unchanged in form while expressing a geographical relationship with the plains.
  11. supra — Lemma: supra; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative; Function: Introduces Iordanem as a geographical reference point; Translation: “beyond”; Notes: The preposition commonly expresses a position above or beyond something. Here it helps locate the plains of Moab in relation to the Jordan River.
  12. Iordanem — Lemma: Iordanis; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: Object of the preposition supra; Translation: “the Jordan”; Notes: The Jordan River provides an important geographical reference for locating the plains of Moab, where Moses receives these instructions.
  13. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative; Function: Introduces Iericho as the location opposite the plains of Moab; Translation: “opposite”; Notes: The preposition expresses geographical orientation rather than opposition or conflict, identifying the plains’ position across from Jericho.
  14. Iericho — Lemma: Iericho; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Indeclinable biblical geographical name, functioning as the accusative object of a preposition; Function: Object of contra, identifying the city opposite the location of the divine communication; Translation: “Jericho”; Notes: Jericho lies west of the Jordan River, providing a familiar reference point for identifying the plains of Moab on the opposite side.

 

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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