Numeri 11:2 (Numbers 11:2)

Posted on May 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 11:2 Cumque clamasset populus ad Moysen, oravit Moyses ad Dominum, et absorptus est ignis.

And when the people had cried out to Moyses, Moyses prayed to the LORD, and the fire was swallowed up.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 clamasset had cried out 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
3 populus people NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
6 oravit prayed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
7 Moyses Moses NOM.SG.M
8 ad to PREP+ACC
9 Dominum the LORD ACC.SG.M
10 et and CONJ
11 absorptus swallowed up PERF.PTCP.PASS.NOM.SG.M
12 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
13 ignis fire NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque clamasset populus ad Moysen — subordinate clause indicating prior action.

Main Clause (1): Moyses (subject) + oravit (verb) + ad Dominum (prepositional phrase).

Main Clause (2): ignis (subject) + absorptus est (verb).

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction with enclitic -que; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: and when; Notes: Connects narrative.
  2. clamasset — Lemma: clamo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect active subjunctive third person singular; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: had cried out; Notes: Subjunctive after cum showing prior action.
  3. populus — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: people; Notes: The Israelites.
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces direction; Translation: to; Notes: Indicates appeal.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Moyses; Notes: Recipient of cry.
  6. oravit — Lemma: oro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: prayed; Notes: Completed action.
  7. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Moyses; Notes: Intercessor.
  8. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces direction; Translation: to; Notes: Directed prayer.
  9. Dominum — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connective; Translation: and; Notes: Continues narrative.
  11. absorptus — Lemma: absorbeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect participle passive nominative singular masculine; Function: part of passive verb; Translation: swallowed up; Notes: Describes extinguishing.
  12. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third person singular; Function: auxiliary; Translation: is; Notes: Forms perfect passive.
  13. ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: fire; Notes: Divine fire.

 

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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