Numeri 6:9 (Numbers 6:9)

Posted on May 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 6:9 Sin autem mortuus fuerit subito quispiam coram eo, polluetur caput consecrationis eius: quod radet illico in eadem die purgationis suæ, et rursum septima.

But if anyone shall have died suddenly before him, the head of his consecration shall be defiled: which he shall shave immediately on that same day of his purification, and again on the seventh.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sin but if CONJ
2 autem however ADV
3 mortuus dead NOM.SG.M PERF.PASS.PTCP
4 fuerit shall have been 3SG.FUTP.ACT.SUBJ
5 subito suddenly ADV
6 quispiam someone NOM.SG.M INDEF
7 coram before PREP+ABL
8 eo him ABL.SG.M
9 polluetur shall be defiled 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND
10 caput head NOM.SG.N
11 consecrationis of consecration GEN.SG.F
12 eius his GEN.SG.M PERS
13 quod which ACC.SG.N REL
14 radet he shall shave 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
15 illico immediately ADV
16 in in PREP+ABL
17 eadem same ABL.SG.F DEM
18 die day ABL.SG.F
19 purgationis of purification GEN.SG.F
20 suæ his GEN.SG.F POSS
21 et and CONJ
22 rursum again ADV
23 septima seventh ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Conditional Clause: Sin autem mortuus fuerit subito quispiam coram eo introduces a conditional situation, with fuerit forming a future perfect subjunctive verb and quispiam as the subject.

Main Clause: caput consecrationis eius polluetur — caput is the subject, polluetur the verb, and consecrationis eius a genitive phrase modifying caput.

Relative Clause: quod radet illico — quod refers to caput, with radet as the verb.

Temporal Phrase: in eadem die purgationis suæ specifies the time of the action.

Additional Phrase: et rursum septima indicates repetition on the seventh day.

Morphology

  1. Sin — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: conditional variant; Function: introduces condition; Translation: but if; Notes: Stronger or contrastive form of “if.”
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds contrast; Translation: however; Notes: Transitional particle.
  3. mortuus — Lemma: morior; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect deponent participle; Function: part of compound verb; Translation: dead; Notes: Deponent form with passive appearance.
  4. fuerit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of conditional clause; Translation: shall have been; Notes: Marks completed future action in condition.
  5. subito — Lemma: subito; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies verb; Translation: suddenly; Notes: Indicates unexpected event.
  6. quispiam — Lemma: quispiam; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine indefinite; Function: subject; Translation: someone; Notes: Indefinite reference.
  7. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces phrase; Translation: before; Notes: Indicates presence.
  8. eo — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: him; Notes: Refers to consecrated person.
  9. polluetur — Lemma: polluo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future passive indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: shall be defiled; Notes: Indicates ritual impurity.
  10. caput — Lemma: caput; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject; Translation: head; Notes: Physical and symbolic focus.
  11. consecrationis — Lemma: consecratio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies caput; Translation: of consecration; Notes: Identifies sacred status.
  12. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies consecrationis; Translation: his; Notes: Possessive reference.
  13. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of radet; Translation: which; Notes: Refers back to caput.
  14. radet — Lemma: rado; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: he shall shave; Notes: Prescribed ritual action.
  15. illico — Lemma: illico; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies verb; Translation: immediately; Notes: Indicates urgency.
  16. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces temporal phrase; Translation: in; Notes: Indicates time.
  17. eadem — Lemma: idem; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies die; Translation: same; Notes: Emphasizes immediacy.
  18. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: day; Notes: Temporal marker.
  19. purgationis — Lemma: purgatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies die; Translation: of purification; Notes: Ritual cleansing.
  20. suæ — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies purgationis; Translation: his; Notes: Reflexive possession.
  21. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links phrases; Translation: and; Notes: Adds second action.
  22. rursum — Lemma: rursum; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies implied verb; Translation: again; Notes: Indicates repetition.
  23. septima — Lemma: septimus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: elliptical temporal expression; Translation: on the seventh; Notes: Implies “day.”

 

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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