Numeri 12:6 (Numbers 12:6)

Posted on May 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 12:6 dixit ad eos: Audite sermones meos: si quis fuerit inter vos propheta Domini, in visione apparebo ei, vel per somnium loquar ad illum.

He said to them: “Hear My words: if anyone will be among you a prophet of the LORD, in a vision I will appear to him, or through a dream I will speak to him.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 dixit he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 ad to PREP+ACC
3 eos them ACC.PL.M PERS
4 Audite hear 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
5 sermones words ACC.PL.M
6 meos my ACC.PL.M POSS
7 si if CONJ
8 quis anyone NOM.SG.M INDEF
9 fuerit will be 3SG.FUTP.ACT.SUBJ
10 inter among PREP+ACC
11 vos you ACC.PL 2 PERS
12 propheta prophet NOM.SG.M
13 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
14 in in PREP+ABL
15 visione vision ABL.SG.F
16 apparebo I will appear 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
17 ei to him DAT.SG.M PERS
18 vel or CONJ
19 per through PREP+ACC
20 somnium dream ACC.SG.N
21 loquar I will speak 1SG.FUT.DEP.IND
22 ad to PREP+ACC
23 illum him ACC.SG.M DEM

Syntax

Main Clause: dixit is the main verb with an implied subject (the LORD). ad eos functions as the indirect object.

Imperative Clause: Audite is the command, with sermones meos as its direct object.

Conditional Clause: si quis fuerit inter vos propheta Domini forms a conditional sentence. quis is the subject, fuerit is the verb, and propheta Domini is the predicate nominative.

Main Clause (Result): apparebo and loquar are coordinated verbs with the subject “I.” in visione and per somnium are phrases of manner or medium, and ei and ad illum are indirect objects.

Morphology

  1. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of speech; Translation: he said; Notes: Introduces direct discourse in narrative context.
  2. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: Indicates direction toward persons addressed.
  3. eos — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine personal pronoun; Function: object of ad; Translation: them; Notes: Refers to the addressed individuals.
  4. Audite — Lemma: audio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active imperative; Function: main verb of command; Translation: hear; Notes: A direct imperative addressed to multiple hearers.
  5. sermones — Lemma: sermo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine third declension; Function: direct object of Audite; Translation: words; Notes: Refers to spoken messages or statements.
  6. meos — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine possessive; Function: modifies sermones; Translation: my; Notes: Indicates possession by the speaker.
  7. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces conditional clause; Translation: if; Notes: Sets up a general condition.
  8. quis — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine indefinite pronoun; Function: subject of fuerit; Translation: anyone; Notes: Indicates an unspecified individual.
  9. fuerit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of conditional clause; Translation: will be; Notes: Expresses a future-oriented condition in formal Latin style.
  10. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces phrase of inclusion; Translation: among; Notes: Indicates position within a group.
  11. vos — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural second person personal pronoun; Function: object of inter; Translation: you; Notes: Refers to the addressed group.
  12. propheta — Lemma: propheta; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine first declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: prophet; Notes: Identifies the role of the subject.
  13. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine second declension; Function: genitive modifying propheta; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: Indicates divine affiliation; refers to YHWH.
  14. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces phrase of manner; Translation: in; Notes: Expresses medium or context.
  15. visione — Lemma: visio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine third declension; Function: object of in; Translation: vision; Notes: One mode of divine revelation.
  16. apparebo — Lemma: appareo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of result clause; Translation: I will appear; Notes: Expresses divine action toward the prophet.
  17. ei — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine personal pronoun; Function: indirect object of apparebo; Translation: to him; Notes: Refers back to the hypothetical prophet.
  18. vel — Lemma: vel; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable coordinating conjunction; Function: introduces alternative; Translation: or; Notes: Offers an alternative means of revelation.
  19. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces phrase of means; Translation: through; Notes: Indicates channel or medium.
  20. somnium — Lemma: somnium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: object of per; Translation: dream; Notes: Another form of divine communication.
  21. loquar — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular future deponent indicative; Function: second main verb of result clause; Translation: I will speak; Notes: Deponent verb expressing active meaning.
  22. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: Indicates direction of speech.
  23. illum — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine demonstrative pronoun; Function: object of ad; Translation: him; Notes: Emphasizes the same individual as ei.

 

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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