Numeri 10:21 (Numbers 10:21)

Posted on May 7, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 10:21 Profectique sunt et Caathitæ portantes Sanctuarium. Tamdiu tabernaculum portabatur, donec venirent ad erectionis locum.

And the Caathites also set out, carrying the Sanctuary. So long the tabernacle was being carried, until they came to the place of erection.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Profectique and having set out PERF.PTCP.DEP.NOM.PL.M+CONJ
2 sunt they are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
3 et also CONJ
4 Caathitæ Kohathites NOM.PL.M
5 portantes carrying PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.PL.M
6 Sanctuarium sanctuary ACC.SG.N
7 Tamdiu so long ADV
8 tabernaculum tabernacle NOM.SG.N
9 portabatur was being carried 3SG.IMP.PASS.IND
10 donec until CONJ
11 venirent they might come 3PL.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
12 ad to PREP+ACC
13 erectionis of erection GEN.SG.F
14 locum place ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause (1): Caathitæ (subject) + Profectique sunt (perfect deponent verbal expression) + portantes Sanctuarium (participial phrase of attendant circumstance).

Main Clause (2): tabernaculum (subject) + portabatur (imperfect passive verb).

Adverbial Modifier: Tamdiu — indicates duration.

Temporal Clause: donec venirent ad erectionis locum — marks endpoint of the action.

Phrase: ad erectionis locum — prepositional phrase indicating destination.

Morphology

  1. Profectique — Lemma: proficiscor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect participle deponent nominative plural masculine with enclitic conjunction -que; Function: forms perfect tense with sunt; Translation: and having set out; Notes: Deponent verb expressing completed movement.
  2. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third person plural; Function: auxiliary; Translation: they are; Notes: Forms perfect tense with participle.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connective; Translation: also; Notes: Adds continuation.
  4. Caathitæ — Lemma: Caathita; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Caathites; Notes: Refers to Levitical clan responsible for sacred objects.
  5. portantes — Lemma: porto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active participle nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies Caathitæ; Translation: carrying; Notes: Indicates ongoing action accompanying departure.
  6. Sanctuarium — Lemma: sanctuarium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of portantes; Translation: sanctuary; Notes: Refers to sacred objects or holy space.
  7. Tamdiu — Lemma: tamdiu; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies portabatur; Translation: so long; Notes: Expresses duration of action.
  8. tabernaculum — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject; Translation: tabernacle; Notes: Central sacred structure.
  9. portabatur — Lemma: porto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect passive indicative third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: was being carried; Notes: Indicates continuous past action.
  10. donec — Lemma: donec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: until; Notes: Marks endpoint.
  11. venirent — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive third person plural; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: they might come; Notes: Subjunctive after donec indicating anticipated action.
  12. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces destination; Translation: to; Notes: Indicates movement toward.
  13. erectionis — Lemma: erectio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies locum; Translation: of erection; Notes: Refers to setting up the tabernacle.
  14. locum — Lemma: locus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: place; Notes: Destination point.

 

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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