Numeri 11:19 (Numbers 11:19)

Posted on May 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 11:19 non uno die, nec duobus, vel quinque aut decem, nec viginti quidem,

Not for one day, nor for two, or five or ten, nor indeed for twenty,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 non not ADV
2 uno for one ABL.SG.M
3 die day ABL.SG.M
4 nec nor CONJ
5 duobus for two ABL.PL.M
6 vel or CONJ
7 quinque five INDECL
8 aut or CONJ
9 decem ten INDECL
10 nec nor CONJ
11 viginti twenty INDECL
12 quidem indeed ADV

Syntax

Elliptical Duration Phrase: non uno die begins an elliptical sequence in which the governing idea of duration is understood from the surrounding context. uno die is an ablative of time within which or duration-like expression after negation.

Coordinated Expansion: nec duobus, vel quinque aut decem, nec viginti quidem extends the negated series by coordination. The numbers are arranged climactically, intensifying the statement from smaller to larger spans of time.

Adverbial Emphasis: quidem strengthens viginti, giving special emphasis to the final item in the sequence.

Morphology

  1. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negates the whole duration sequence; Translation: not; Notes: it sets the strong negative frame for all the following time expressions.
  2. uno — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies die in a temporal expression; Translation: for one; Notes: it begins the ascending numerical scale.
  3. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, 5th declension; Function: ablative of time expression; Translation: day; Notes: it provides the explicit unit of time that governs the sense of the sequence.
  4. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: continues the negative coordination; Translation: nor; Notes: it links the next duration item under the same negation.
  5. duobus — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: elliptical temporal expression with understood diebus; Translation: for two; Notes: the noun “days” is omitted but clearly understood from die.
  6. vel — Lemma: vel; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: offers an alternative in the numerical series; Translation: or; Notes: it keeps the list moving through possible spans of time.
  7. quinque — Lemma: quinque; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: elliptical temporal expression with understood diebus; Translation: five; Notes: the omitted time noun remains understood from the first expression.
  8. aut — Lemma: aut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates another alternative; Translation: or; Notes: it sharpens the progression of alternatives.
  9. decem — Lemma: decem; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: elliptical temporal expression with understood diebus; Translation: ten; Notes: it continues the escalating scale of duration.
  10. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces the final and strongest negative item; Translation: nor; Notes: it resumes the negative force before the climactic last number.
  11. viginti — Lemma: viginti; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: elliptical temporal expression with understood diebus; Translation: twenty; Notes: it marks the highest number in this sequence and heightens the force of the promise or warning.
  12. quidem — Lemma: quidem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: emphasizes viginti; Translation: indeed; Notes: it gives special stress to the final item, reinforcing the climactic structure.

 

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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