Numeri 6:21 (Numbers 6:21)

Posted on May 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 6:21 Ista est lex nazaræi, cum voverit oblationem suam Domino tempore consecrationis suæ, exceptis his, quæ invenerit manus eius. iuxta quod mente devoverat, ita faciet ad perfectionem sanctificationis suæ.

This is the law of the nazirite, when he shall have vowed his offering to the LORD at the time of his consecration, besides these things, which his hand shall find. According to what he had vowed in his mind, so he shall do for the completion of his consecration.’”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ista this NOM.SG.F DEM
2 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 lex law NOM.SG.F
4 nazaræi of Nazirite GEN.SG.M
5 cum when CONJ
6 voverit he shall have vowed 3SG.FUTP.ACT.SUBJ
7 oblationem offering ACC.SG.F
8 suam his ACC.SG.F POSS
9 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
10 tempore time ABL.SG.N
11 consecrationis of consecration GEN.SG.F
12 suæ his GEN.SG.F POSS
13 exceptis excepted ABL.PL.N PERF.PASS.PTCP
14 his these ABL.PL.N DEM
15 quæ which ACC.PL.N REL
16 invenerit he shall find 3SG.FUTP.ACT.SUBJ
17 manus hand NOM.SG.F
18 eius his GEN.SG.M PERS
19 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
20 quod what ACC.SG.N REL
21 mente in mind ABL.SG.F
22 devoverat he had vowed 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND
23 ita so ADV
24 faciet he shall do 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
25 ad to PREP+ACC
26 perfectionem completion ACC.SG.F
27 sanctificationis of sanctification GEN.SG.F
28 suæ his GEN.SG.F POSS

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Ista est lex nazaræi — Ista is subject, est copulative verb, and lex predicate nominative, modified by nazaræi.

Temporal Clause: cum voverit oblationem suam Domino tempore consecrationis suæ — voverit governs oblationem suam, with Domino as dative and tempore… as ablative of time.

Ablative Absolute: exceptis his introduces an exception.

Relative Clause: quæ invenerit manus eius — manus is subject, invenerit verb, and quæ object.

Comparative Structure: iuxta quod… ita faciet forms a correlative structure “according to… so…”

Final Phrase: ad perfectionem sanctificationis suæ expresses purpose or goal.

Morphology

  1. Ista — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: demonstrative adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: this; Notes: Introduces legal statement.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: copulative verb; Translation: is; Notes: Links subject and predicate.
  3. lex — Lemma: lex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: law; Notes: Establishes regulation.
  4. nazaræi — Lemma: nazaræus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies lex; Translation: of Nazirite; Notes: Specifies subject of law.
  5. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: when; Notes: Governs subjunctive.
  6. voverit — Lemma: voveo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of clause; Translation: he shall have vowed; Notes: Completed future action.
  7. oblationem — Lemma: oblatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: offering; Notes: Object of vow.
  8. suam — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies oblationem; Translation: his; Notes: Reflexive possession.
  9. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  10. tempore — Lemma: tempus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of time; Translation: time; Notes: Specifies duration.
  11. consecrationis — Lemma: consecratio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies tempore; Translation: of consecration; Notes: Defines period.
  12. suæ — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies consecrationis; Translation: his; Notes: Reflexive.
  13. exceptis — Lemma: excipio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative plural neuter perfect passive participle; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: excepted; Notes: Introduces exception.
  14. his — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: part of ablative absolute; Translation: these; Notes: Refers to prior items.
  15. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object; Translation: which; Notes: Refers to unspecified items.
  16. invenerit — Lemma: invenio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of clause; Translation: he shall find; Notes: Potential or completed future action.
  17. manus — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: hand; Notes: Means or ability.
  18. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies manus; Translation: his; Notes: Possessive.
  19. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces standard; Translation: according to; Notes: Comparative sense.
  20. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object; Translation: what; Notes: Refers to vow content.
  21. mente — Lemma: mens; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of manner; Translation: in mind; Notes: Internal intention.
  22. devoverat — Lemma: devoveo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active indicative; Function: verb; Translation: he had vowed; Notes: Prior completed action.
  23. ita — Lemma: ita; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: correlative; Translation: so; Notes: Paired with iuxta.
  24. faciet — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall do; Notes: Fulfills vow.
  25. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces goal; Translation: to; Notes: Indicates purpose.
  26. perfectionem — Lemma: perfectio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: completion; Notes: Fulfillment.
  27. sanctificationis — Lemma: sanctificatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies perfectionem; Translation: of sanctification; Notes: Sacred state.
  28. suæ — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies sanctificationis; Translation: his; Notes: Reflexive possession.

 

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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