Numeri 11:13 (Numbers 11:13)

Posted on May 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 11:13 Unde mihi carnes ut dem tantæ multitudini? flent contra me, dicentes: Da nobis carnes ut comedamus.

From where are meats to me, that I may give to so great a multitude? They weep against me, saying: Give to us meats that we may eat.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Unde from where ADV
2 mihi to me DAT.SG.PERS.PRON
3 carnes meats NOM.PL.F
4 ut that CONJ
5 dem I may give 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
6 tantæ to so great DAT.SG.F
7 multitudini multitude DAT.SG.F
8 flent they weep 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
9 contra against PREP+ACC
10 me me ACC.SG.PERS.PRON
11 dicentes saying NOM.PL.M.PTCP.PRES.ACT
12 Da give 2SG.IMP.MOOD.ACT
13 nobis to us DAT.PL.PERS.PRON
14 carnes meats ACC.PL.F
15 ut that CONJ
16 comedamus we may eat 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

First Question: Unde introduces the rhetorical question. carnes functions as the logical subject, mihi is a dative of reference or possession, and ut dem tantæ multitudini is a dependent clause expressing intended result or purpose, with dem governing the dative phrase tantæ multitudini.

Second Clause: flent is the main verb, with an implied plural subject referring to the people. contra me expresses hostile direction or pressure directed toward the speaker.

Participial Phrase: dicentes agrees with the implied subject of flent and introduces the content of their speech.

Direct Speech: Da nobis carnes contains the imperative Da, the indirect object nobis, and the direct object carnes. ut comedamus gives the purpose of the request, with comedamus in the subjunctive.

Morphology

  1. Unde — Lemma: unde; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: interrogative adverb introducing the rhetorical question; Translation: from where; Notes: it asks about source and implies the speaker has no available supply.
  2. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular personal pronoun; Function: dative of reference or possession; Translation: to me; Notes: it conveys the sense “where are meats for me to have.”
  3. carnes — Lemma: caro; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine, 3rd declension; Function: logical subject of the rhetorical question; Translation: meats; Notes: the plural refers to flesh foods being demanded by the people.
  4. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces a dependent clause of purpose or contemplated result; Translation: that; Notes: it connects the lack of meat with the act of giving it.
  5. dem — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of the dependent clause; Translation: I may give; Notes: the subjunctive follows ut and presents the intended act of provision.
  6. tantæ — Lemma: tantus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: modifies multitudini; Translation: to so great; Notes: it emphasizes the overwhelming size of the crowd.
  7. multitudini — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular feminine, 3rd declension; Function: indirect object of dem; Translation: multitude; Notes: the collective noun presents the people as one immense body.
  8. flent — Lemma: fleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active indicative; Function: main verb of the second clause; Translation: they weep; Notes: the present tense portrays the pressure on Moyses as immediate and ongoing.
  9. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: introduces the phrase of opposition; Translation: against; Notes: it suggests complaint directed toward the speaker.
  10. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular personal pronoun; Function: object of contra; Translation: me; Notes: the pronoun shows Moyses as the target of the people’s demand.
  11. dicentes — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative plural masculine present active participle; Function: modifies the implied subject of flent and introduces direct speech; Translation: saying; Notes: it shows that the weeping is accompanied by vocal demand.
  12. Da — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active imperative; Function: imperative in direct speech; Translation: give; Notes: the command is abrupt and forceful.
  13. nobis — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural personal pronoun; Function: indirect object of Da; Translation: to us; Notes: it identifies the people as the desired recipients.
  14. carnes — Lemma: caro; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine, 3rd declension; Function: direct object of Da; Translation: meats; Notes: repeated from the first question, it becomes the central object of complaint.
  15. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces a purpose clause; Translation: that; Notes: it explains why the people want the meat.
  16. comedamus — Lemma: comedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of the purpose clause; Translation: we may eat; Notes: the subjunctive expresses intended action resulting from the requested gift.

 

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.