Numeri 11:31 (Numbers 11:31)

Posted on May 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 11:31 Ventus autem egrediens a Domino arreptans trans mare coturnices detulit, et demisit in castra itinere quantum uno die confici potest, ex omni parte castrorum per circuitum, volabantque in aere duobus cubitis altitudine super terram.

But a wind going out from the LORD, seizing quails from across the sea, brought them, and set them down in the camp, for a journey that can be completed in one day, from every side of the camp all around, and they were flying in the air at a height of two cubits above the ground.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ventus wind NOM.SG.M
2 autem however ADV
3 egrediens going out NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
4 a from PREP+ABL
5 Domino the LORD ABL.SG.M
6 arreptans seizing NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
7 trans across PREP+ACC
8 mare sea ACC.SG.N
9 coturnices quails ACC.PL.F
10 detulit brought 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 et and CONJ
12 demisit set down 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
13 in into PREP+ACC
14 castra camp ACC.PL.N
15 itinere journey ABL.SG.N
16 quantum as much as ACC.SG.N
17 uno one ABL.SG.M
18 die day ABL.SG.M
19 confici to be completed PRES.PASS.INF
20 potest is able 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
21 ex from PREP+ABL
22 omni every ABL.SG.F
23 parte side ABL.SG.F
24 castrorum of the camp GEN.PL.N
25 per through PREP+ACC
26 circuitum around ACC.SG.M
27 volabantque and they were flying 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND
28 in in PREP+ABL
29 aere air ABL.SG.M
30 duobus two ABL.PL.M
31 cubitis cubits ABL.PL.M
32 altitudine height ABL.SG.F
33 super above PREP+ACC
34 terram ground ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Ventus is the subject, and detulit and demisit are coordinated verbs. autem introduces contrast or continuation.

Participial Phrases: egrediens a Domino and arreptans trans mare coturnices both modify Ventus, describing its origin and action.

Prepositional Phrase: in castra expresses direction toward the camp.

Extent Phrase: itinere quantum uno die confici potest expresses the extent or distance, with quantum introducing a relative measure clause.

Additional Phrase: ex omni parte castrorum per circuitum indicates distribution around the entire camp.

Coordinated Clause: volabantque in aere introduces another action, with volabant as the verb.

Measurement Phrase: duobus cubitis altitudine super terram expresses height above the ground.

Morphology

  1. Ventus — Lemma: ventus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: wind; Notes: Instrument of divine action.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: discourse connector; Translation: however; Notes: Marks progression.
  3. egrediens — Lemma: egredior; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine present deponent participle; Function: modifies Ventus; Translation: going out; Notes: Deponent with active meaning.
  4. a — Lemma: a; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: source; Translation: from; Notes: Indicates origin.
  5. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of a; Translation: the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  6. arreptans — Lemma: arripiō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: modifies Ventus; Translation: seizing; Notes: Expresses forceful action.
  7. trans — Lemma: trans; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: direction; Translation: across; Notes: Indicates origin area.
  8. mare — Lemma: mare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of trans; Translation: sea; Notes: Source of quails.
  9. coturnices — Lemma: coturnix; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of arreptans and detulit; Translation: quails; Notes: Food provided miraculously.
  10. detulit — Lemma: deferō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: brought; Notes: Completed action.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins verbs; Translation: and; Notes: Links actions.
  12. demisit — Lemma: demittō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: coordinated verb; Translation: set down; Notes: Indicates placement.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: direction; Translation: into; Notes: Motion toward.
  14. castra — Lemma: castra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: camp; Notes: Destination.
  15. itinere — Lemma: iter; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of measure; Translation: journey; Notes: Indicates extent.
  16. quantum — Lemma: quantum; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: introduces relative measure; Translation: as much as; Notes: Extent clause.
  17. uno — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies die; Translation: one; Notes: Measurement.
  18. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: time expression; Translation: day; Notes: Duration.
  19. confici — Lemma: conficiō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complementary; Translation: to be completed; Notes: Passive form.
  20. potest — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb; Translation: is able; Notes: Indicates possibility.
  21. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: source; Translation: from; Notes: Distribution.
  22. omni — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies parte; Translation: every; Notes: Totality.
  23. parte — Lemma: pars; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of ex; Translation: side; Notes: Spatial distribution.
  24. castrorum — Lemma: castra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the camp; Notes: Specifies location.
  25. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: extent; Translation: through; Notes: Indicates distribution.
  26. circuitum — Lemma: circuitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: around; Notes: Completes phrase.
  27. volabantque — Lemma: volō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural imperfect active indicative with enclitic; Function: verb; Translation: and they were flying; Notes: Continuous action.
  28. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: location; Translation: in; Notes: Static position.
  29. aere — Lemma: aer; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: air; Notes: Medium.
  30. duobus — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies cubitis; Translation: two; Notes: Measurement.
  31. cubitis — Lemma: cubitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: measure; Translation: cubits; Notes: Height.
  32. altitudine — Lemma: altitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of respect; Translation: height; Notes: Specifies dimension.
  33. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: position above; Translation: above; Notes: Spatial relation.
  34. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: ground; Notes: Reference 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.
This entry was posted in Numeri. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.