Numeri 11:29 (Numbers 11:29)

Posted on May 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Gn 11:29 At ille: Quid, inquit, æmularis pro me? quis tribuat ut omnis populus prophetet, et det eis Dominus Spiritum suum?

But he said: “What,” he said, “Are you jealous for me? Who would grant that all the people may prophesy, and that the LORD may give His Spirit to them?”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 At but CONJ
2 ille he NOM.SG.M.DEM
3 Quid what ACC.SG.N.INT
4 inquit he said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 æmularis are you jealous 2SG.PRES.DEP.IND
6 pro for PREP+ABL
7 me me ABL.SG.1.PERS
8 quis who NOM.SG.M.INT
9 tribuat may grant 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
10 ut that CONJ
11 omnis all NOM.SG.M
12 populus people NOM.SG.M
13 prophetet may prophesy 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
14 et and CONJ
15 det may give 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
16 eis to them DAT.PL.3.PERS
17 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M
18 Spiritum Spirit ACC.SG.M
19 suum His ACC.SG.M.POSS

Syntax

Main Clause: ille is the subject, and inquit introduces direct speech. At marks contrast with the previous speaker.

Interrogative Clause: Quid æmularis pro me is a rhetorical question. æmularis is the verb, pro me is a prepositional phrase expressing behalf or concern.

Optative Clause: quis tribuat ut omnis populus prophetet expresses a wish. quis tribuat functions idiomatically as “who would grant,” followed by ut introducing the content clause.

Coordinated Clause: et det eis Dominus Spiritum suum is joined to the previous wish. Dominus is the subject, det is the verb, eis is the indirect object, and Spiritum suum is the direct object.

Morphology

  1. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: but; Notes: Marks a shift to a corrective or opposing response.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine demonstrative; Function: subject; Translation: he; Notes: Refers to Moyses.
  3. Quid — Lemma: quid; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter interrogative; Function: introduces question; Translation: what; Notes: Used idiomatically in rhetorical questioning.
  4. inquit — Lemma: inquam; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: parenthetical speech verb; Translation: he said; Notes: Often used within direct speech.
  5. æmularis — Lemma: æmulor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present deponent indicative; Function: main verb of interrogative clause; Translation: are you jealous; Notes: Deponent verb with active meaning.
  6. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing ablative; Function: expresses behalf; Translation: for; Notes: Indicates acting on behalf of someone.
  7. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular first person; Function: object of pro; Translation: me; Notes: Refers to Moyses.
  8. quis — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine interrogative; Function: subject of tribuat; Translation: who; Notes: Introduces optative expression.
  9. tribuat — Lemma: tribuō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb expressing wish; Translation: may grant; Notes: Subjunctive conveys desire or possibility.
  10. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces content clause; Translation: that; Notes: Introduces result or wish clause.
  11. omnis — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies populus; Translation: all; Notes: Emphasizes totality.
  12. populus — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of prophetet; Translation: people; Notes: Refers to the entire community.
  13. prophetet — Lemma: prophetō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: may prophesy; Notes: Subjunctive reflects wish or potential.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Links second wish.
  15. det — Lemma: dō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of coordinated clause; Translation: may give; Notes: Continues optative sense.
  16. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural third person; Function: indirect object; Translation: to them; Notes: Refers to the people.
  17. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of det; Translation: the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  18. Spiritum — Lemma: spiritus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: Spirit; Notes: Refers to divine Spirit.
  19. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine possessive; Function: modifies Spiritum; Translation: His; Notes: Refers back to the subject Dominus.

 

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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