Numeri 11:25 (Numbers 11:25)

Posted on May 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

25 Descenditque Dominus per nubem, et locutus est ad eum, auferens de spiritu qui erat in Moyse, et dans septuaginta viris. Cumque requievisset in eis Spiritus, prophetaverunt, nec ultra cessaverunt.

And the LORD descended in a cloud, and spoke to him, taking from the spirit that was in Moyses, and giving to seventy men. And when the Spirit had rested upon them, they prophesied, and they did not cease thereafter.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Descenditque and descended 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M
3 per through PREP+ACC
4 nubem cloud ACC.SG.F
5 et and CONJ
6 locutus spoken NOM.SG.M.PERF.DEP.PTCP
7 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
8 ad to PREP+ACC
9 eum him ACC.SG.M
10 auferens taking away NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
11 de from PREP+ABL
12 spiritu Spirit ABL.SG.M
13 qui who NOM.SG.M.REL
14 erat was 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
15 in in PREP+ABL
16 Moyse Moses ABL.SG.M
17 et and CONJ
18 dans giving NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
19 septuaginta seventy INDECL
20 viris to men DAT.PL.M
21 Cumque and when CONJ
22 requievisset had rested 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
23 in upon PREP+ABL
24 eis them ABL.PL.M
25 Spiritus Spirit NOM.SG.M
26 prophetaverunt they prophesied 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
27 nec and not CONJ
28 ultra any longer ADV
29 cessaverunt they ceased 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Dominus is the subject, and Descenditque is the verb. per nubem is a prepositional phrase expressing the manner or medium of descent.

Coordinated Clause: et locutus est ad eum is joined to the first clause. locutus est is a deponent perfect construction, with ad eum as a prepositional phrase indicating the recipient of speech.

Participial Phrase 1: auferens de spiritu qui erat in Moyse modifies Dominus. auferens is the participle, de spiritu is a prepositional phrase, and qui erat in Moyse is a relative clause modifying spiritu.

Participial Phrase 2: et dans septuaginta viris continues the participial action. dans is the participle, and septuaginta viris is the indirect object.

Temporal Clause: Cumque requievisset in eis Spiritus introduces a temporal subordinate clause. Spiritus is the subject, requievisset is the verb in the pluperfect subjunctive, and in eis is a prepositional phrase indicating location.

Main Clause 2: prophetaverunt is the verb with an implied subject (the seventy men).

Coordinated Clause: nec ultra cessaverunt is joined to the previous clause. cessaverunt is the verb, nec negates, and ultra functions adverbially to indicate continuation beyond that point.

Morphology

  1. Descenditque — Lemma: descendō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative with enclitic conjunction; Function: main verb of the opening clause; Translation: and descended; Notes: The enclitic -que links this action closely to what precedes.
  2. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: subject of Descenditque; Translation: the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH and is rendered “LORD.”
  3. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces a phrase of means; Translation: through; Notes: Indicates the visible medium of divine descent.
  4. nubem — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, third declension; Function: object of per; Translation: cloud; Notes: The cloud symbolizes divine presence in the narrative.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Connects descent with speech.
  6. locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect deponent participle; Function: part of the compound verb with est; Translation: spoken; Notes: Deponent form with active meaning.
  7. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary completing perfect tense; Translation: is; Notes: Forms the perfect “has spoken.”
  8. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces direction; Translation: to; Notes: Marks the recipient of speech.
  9. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: him; Notes: Refers to Moyses.
  10. auferens — Lemma: auferō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: modifies Dominus; Translation: taking away; Notes: Expresses simultaneous action.
  11. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces source; Translation: from; Notes: Indicates removal from a source.
  12. spiritu — Lemma: spiritus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, fourth declension; Function: object of de; Translation: Spirit; Notes: Refers to the Spirit given to Moyses.
  13. qui — Lemma: quī; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine relative pronoun; Function: subject of erat; Translation: who; Notes: Introduces a relative clause describing the Spirit.
  14. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: was; Notes: Indicates ongoing past state.
  15. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: in; Notes: Marks indwelling.
  16. Moyse — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: Moses; Notes: Identifies the original bearer of the Spirit.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins participles; Translation: and; Notes: Continues the action sequence.
  18. dans — Lemma: dō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: modifies Dominus; Translation: giving; Notes: Parallel to auferens.
  19. septuaginta — Lemma: septuaginta; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: indeclinable numeral; Function: modifies viris; Translation: seventy; Notes: Number remains unchanged in form.
  20. viris — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine, second declension; Function: indirect object of dans; Translation: to men; Notes: Refers to the seventy elders.
  21. Cumque — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction with enclitic; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: and when; Notes: Sets up a temporal relationship.
  22. requievisset — Lemma: requiescō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: had rested; Notes: Indicates completed action prior to main clause.
  23. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: upon; Notes: Suggests resting upon persons.
  24. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: them; Notes: Refers to the seventy men.
  25. Spiritus — Lemma: spiritus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, fourth declension; Function: subject of requievisset; Translation: Spirit; Notes: The divine Spirit as agent of empowerment.
  26. prophetaverunt — Lemma: prophetō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they prophesied; Notes: Marks the result of the Spirit’s presence.
  27. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating negative conjunction; Function: links with negation; Translation: and not; Notes: Introduces continuation with negation.
  28. ultra — Lemma: ultra; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable adverb; Function: modifies cessaverunt; Translation: any longer; Notes: Expresses continuation beyond a point.
  29. cessaverunt — Lemma: cessō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative; Function: verb of coordinated clause; Translation: they ceased; Notes: Indicates the continuation of prophetic activity.

 

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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