Numeri 8:4 (Numbers 8:4)

Posted on May 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 8:4 Hæc autem erat factura candelabri, ex auro ductili, tam medius stipes, quam cuncta quæ ex utroque calamorum latere nascebantur: iuxta exemplum quod ostendit Dominus Moysi, ita operatus est candelabrum.

Now this was the workmanship of the lampstand, from hammered gold, both its central shaft and all that sprang from either side of the branches: according to the pattern which the LORD showed to Moyses, so he made the lampstand.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæc this NOM.SG.F DEM
2 autem however ADV
3 erat was 3SG.IMPF.ACT.IND
4 factura workmanship NOM.SG.F
5 candelabri of lampstand GEN.SG.N
6 ex from PREP+ABL
7 auro gold ABL.SG.N
8 ductili hammered ABL.SG.N
9 tam both ADV
10 medius middle NOM.SG.M
11 stipes shaft NOM.SG.M
12 quam as well as CONJ
13 cuncta all things NOM.PL.N
14 quæ which NOM.PL.N REL
15 ex from PREP+ABL
16 utroque each of two ABL.SG.N
17 calamorum of branches GEN.PL.M
18 latere side ABL.SG.N
19 nascebantur were springing 3PL.IMPF.DEP.IND
20 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
21 exemplum pattern ACC.SG.N
22 quod which ACC.SG.N REL
23 ostendit showed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
24 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
25 Moysi to Moses DAT.SG.M
26 ita thus ADV
27 operatus having made NOM.SG.M PERF.DEP.PTCP
28 est he is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
29 candelabrum lampstand ACC.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause: Hæc autem erat factura candelabri — identifies the workmanship of the lampstand.

Prepositional Phrase: ex auro ductili — expresses material and method (hammered gold).

Correlative Structure: tam… quam… — balances medius stipes with cuncta quæ… nascebantur.

Relative Clause: quæ ex utroque calamorum latere nascebantur — describes parts extending from the sides.

Standard Clause: iuxta exemplum quod ostendit Dominus Moysi — indicates conformity to divine pattern.

Main Verb Phrase: ita operatus est candelabrum — perfect deponent construction expressing completed action.

Morphology

  1. Hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: this; Notes: Refers to workmanship.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: —; Function: connective; Translation: however; Notes: Transitional particle.
  3. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: copula; Translation: was; Notes: Descriptive state.
  4. factura — Lemma: factura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: workmanship; Notes: Construction detail.
  5. candelabri — Lemma: candelabrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies factura; Translation: of lampstand; Notes: Object described.
  6. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces material; Translation: from; Notes: Source.
  7. auro — Lemma: aurum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: gold; Notes: Material.
  8. ductili — Lemma: ductilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies auro; Translation: hammered; Notes: Manufacturing method.
  9. tam — Lemma: tam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: —; Function: correlative; Translation: both; Notes: Paired with quam.
  10. medius — Lemma: medius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies stipes; Translation: middle; Notes: Central part.
  11. stipes — Lemma: stipes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject complement; Translation: shaft; Notes: Central stem.
  12. quam — Lemma: quam; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: —; Function: correlative; Translation: as well as; Notes: Balances tam.
  13. cuncta — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: pronoun/adjective; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject; Translation: all things; Notes: Comprehensive.
  14. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: introduces clause; Translation: which; Notes: Refers to cuncta.
  15. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: source; Translation: from; Notes: Origin.
  16. utroque — Lemma: uterque; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies phrase; Translation: each of two; Notes: Dual reference.
  17. calamorum — Lemma: calamus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies latere; Translation: of branches; Notes: Structural elements.
  18. latere — Lemma: latus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object; Translation: side; Notes: Position.
  19. nascebantur — Lemma: nascor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect indicative; Function: verb; Translation: were springing; Notes: Origin/growth imagery.
  20. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: standard; Translation: according to; Notes: Conformity.
  21. exemplum — Lemma: exemplum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object; Translation: pattern; Notes: Model.
  22. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: introduces clause; Translation: which; Notes: Refers to exemplum.
  23. ostendit — Lemma: ostendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: verb; Translation: showed; Notes: Divine revelation.
  24. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  25. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to Moyses; Notes: Recipient.
  26. ita — Lemma: ita; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: —; Function: modifies verb; Translation: thus; Notes: Manner.
  27. operatus — Lemma: operor; Part of Speech: deponent participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle; Function: with est; Translation: having made; Notes: Completed action.
  28. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary; Translation: is; Notes: Forms perfect tense.
  29. candelabrum — Lemma: candelabrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object; Translation: lampstand; Notes: Final object of construction.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Numeri. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.