Numeri 9:23 (Numbers 9:23)

Posted on May 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 9:23 Per verbum Domini figebant tentoria, et per verbum illius proficiscebantur: erantque in excubiis Domini iuxta imperium eius per manum Moysi.

By the word of the LORD they would pitch the tents, and by His word they would set out; and they were in the watches of the LORD according to His command by the hand of Moyses.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Per by PREP+ACC
2 verbum word ACC.SG.N
3 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
4 figebant they would pitch 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND
5 tentoria tents ACC.PL.N
6 et and CONJ
7 per by PREP+ACC
8 verbum word ACC.SG.N
9 illius of Him GEN.SG.M.DEM
10 proficiscebantur they would set out 3PL.IMP.DEP.IND
11 erantque and they were 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND+CONJ
12 in in PREP+ABL
13 excubiis watches ABL.PL.F
14 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
15 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
16 imperium command ACC.SG.N
17 eius His GEN.SG.M
18 per by PREP+ACC
19 manum hand ACC.SG.F
20 Moysi of Moses GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Per verbum Domini figebant tentoria — figebant governs tentoria, while Per verbum Domini expresses the governing means or authority by which the action was directed.

Main Clause 2: et per verbum illius proficiscebantur — coordinated clause parallel to the first, with proficiscebantur as the deponent verb of departure and per verbum illius again marking divine direction.

Main Clause 3: erantque in excubiis Domini — erantque introduces a further coordinated clause, and in excubiis Domini expresses the state of remaining under the LORD’s watch or charge.

Manner / Standard Phrase: iuxta imperium eius — prepositional phrase indicating conformity to the divine command.

Instrumental Phrase: per manum Moysi — expresses mediation, showing that the divine command was administered through Moyses.

Morphology

  1. Per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces means or agency; Translation: by; Notes: It marks the authoritative medium through which Israel’s movements were directed.
  2. verbum — Lemma: verbum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of Per; Translation: word; Notes: Here it signifies command or spoken directive, not merely speech in general.
  3. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies verbum; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the divine source of the command.
  4. figebant — Lemma: figo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they would pitch; Notes: The imperfect presents repeated or customary action in the wilderness journey.
  5. tentoria — Lemma: tentorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of figebant; Translation: tents; Notes: The plural indicates the encampment structures of the people.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates clauses; Translation: and; Notes: It links the actions of encamping and setting out as matching responses to divine guidance.
  7. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces means or agency; Translation: by; Notes: Repetition reinforces that departure, like encampment, depended on divine direction.
  8. verbum — Lemma: verbum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of per; Translation: word; Notes: Again denotes authoritative divine instruction.
  9. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies verbum; Translation: of Him; Notes: Refers back to the LORD, avoiding unnecessary repetition while preserving clarity.
  10. proficiscebantur — Lemma: proficiscor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: third person plural imperfect indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they would set out; Notes: Though deponent in form, it has active meaning and describes repeated departures.
  11. erantque — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb with enclitic conjunction; Form: third person plural imperfect active indicative with enclitic -que; Function: main verb of coordinated clause; Translation: and they were; Notes: The enclitic binds this clause closely to the previous movement cycle, showing ongoing dependence on divine order.
  12. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces state or sphere; Translation: in; Notes: Here it describes the condition or sphere in which Israel remained.
  13. excubiis — Lemma: excubiae; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: watches; Notes: The term suggests vigilance, watch-duty, or careful observance under divine oversight.
  14. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies excubiis; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: It shows that the watch or charge belongs to YHWH, not merely to human order.
  15. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces standard of conformity; Translation: according to; Notes: It stresses exact agreement with the stated command.
  16. imperium — Lemma: imperium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: command; Notes: This noun emphasizes authoritative direction rather than mere advice.
  17. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies imperium; Translation: His; Notes: Refers to the LORD and confirms that the command in view is divine.
  18. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces means or mediation; Translation: by; Notes: It indicates the human instrument through whom the command was delivered.
  19. manum — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of per; Translation: hand; Notes: In this idiom it means agency or mediation rather than the physical hand alone.
  20. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies manum; Translation: of Moyses; Notes: Moyses is presented as the mediator of the LORD’s command to the people.

 

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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