Numeri 19:1 (Numbers 19:1)

Posted on May 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 19:1 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron, dicens:

And the LORD spoke to Moyses and Aaron, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutusque and having spoken PERF.PTCP.NOM.SG.M+CONJ
2 est was 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
6 et and CONJ
7 Aaron Aaron ACC.SG.M.INDECL
8 dicens saying PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Dominus functions as the grammatical subject, while Locutusque est forms the finite verbal expression introducing divine speech.

Indirect Object Phrase: ad Moysen et Aaron is a prepositional phrase indicating the recipients of the speech.

Participial Phrase: dicens functions as a supplementary participle introducing the forthcoming direct discourse.

Morphology

  1. Locutusque — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb participle with enclitic conjunction; Form: perfect deponent participle nominative singular masculine with enclitic -que; Function: part of the compound verbal construction introducing completed speech action; Translation: “and having spoken”; Notes: The enclitic -que tightly connects the clause to the preceding narrative context.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary verb completing the perfect deponent construction; Translation: “was”; Notes: Used with the perfect participle to produce the perfect tense meaning of the deponent verb.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: subject of the clause; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: Here Dominus represents the divine name YHWH in the Vulgate tradition.
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs the accusative case; Function: introduces the indirect object phrase; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates direction toward the recipients of the speech.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, irregular Greek-type declension; Function: object of the preposition ad; Translation: “Moyses”; Notes: The Latin form preserves the biblical Greek and Hebrew tradition of the name.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates the two recipients; Translation: “and”; Notes: The conjunction joins Moyses and Aaron as equal participants in the reception of the divine message.
  7. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine indeclinable; Function: second object of the preposition ad; Translation: “Aaron”; Notes: The name remains indeclinable in many Latin biblical contexts.
  8. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative singular masculine; Function: introduces the direct speech that follows; Translation: “saying”; Notes: This participle creates narrative continuity and prepares the reader for the divine quotation.

 

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.