Numeri 12:14 (Numbers 12:14)

Posted on May 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 12:14 Cui respondit Dominus: Si pater eius spuisset in faciem illius, nonne debuerat saltem septem diebus rubore suffundi? Separetur septem diebus extra castra, et postea revocabitur.

To him the LORD answered: “If her father had spat into her face, should she not at least have been covered with shame for seven days? Let her be separated for seven days outside the camp, and afterward she will be brought back.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cui to whom DAT.SG.M REL
2 respondit answered 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M
4 Si if CONJ
5 pater father NOM.SG.M
6 eius her GEN.SG PERS INVAR
7 spuisset had spat 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
8 in into PREP+ACC
9 faciem face ACC.SG.F
10 illius her GEN.SG DEM
11 nonne would not ADV
12 debuerat ought 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND
13 saltem at least ADV
14 septem seven INDECL
15 diebus days ABL.PL.M
16 rubore with shame ABL.SG.M
17 suffundi to be covered PRES.PASS.INF
18 Separetur let her be separated 3SG.PRES.PASS.SUBJ
19 septem seven INDECL
20 diebus days ABL.PL.M
21 extra outside PREP+ACC
22 castra camp ACC.PL.N
23 et and CONJ
24 postea afterward ADV
25 revocabitur she will be called back 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND

Syntax

Main Clause: Dominus respondit is the main clause, with Cui referring back to Moyses as indirect object.

Conditional Clause: Si pater eius spuisset in faciem illius presents a hypothetical situation. pater is subject, spuisset is the verb, and in faciem illius expresses direction.

Rhetorical Question: nonne debuerat… suffundi expects an affirmative answer. debuerat governs the infinitive suffundi, with septem diebus rubore expressing duration and manner.

Jussive Clause: Separetur septem diebus extra castra is a command in the subjunctive passive.

Main Clause 2: revocabitur expresses future result, with postea modifying the verb.

Morphology

  1. Cui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine relative pronoun; Function: indirect object; Translation: to whom; Notes: Refers to Moses. In classical and ecclesiastical Latin, cui translates to “to whom” or “to him.” In this specific verse – Cui respondit Dominus—the word acts as a Connecting Relative (Relative Connection). ​In English, we usually start a new sentence with a personal pronoun (“The Lord answered him“). However, Latin writers frequently start new sentences with a relative pronoun to link the new thought directly to the person or thing mentioned in the previous sentence.
    • ​Literal translation: “To whom the LORD answered…”
    • ​Natural English translation: “The LORD answered him…”
  2. respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: answered; Notes: Introduces divine reply.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine second declension; Function: subject; Translation: the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  4. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces condition; Translation: if; Notes: Sets up hypothetical case.
  5. pater — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine third declension; Function: subject; Translation: father; Notes: Refers to familial authority.
  6. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular personal pronoun; Function: modifies pater; Translation: her; Notes: Refers to Maria.
  7. spuisset — Lemma: spuo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of conditional clause; Translation: had spat; Notes: Expresses hypothetical prior action.
  8. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces direction; Translation: into; Notes: Indicates motion toward.
  9. faciem — Lemma: facies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine fifth declension; Function: object of in; Translation: face; Notes: Represents personal dignity.
  10. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular demonstrative; Function: modifies faciem; Translation: her; Notes: Reinforces identity.
  11. nonne — Lemma: nonne; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces rhetorical question; Translation: would not; Notes: Expects affirmative answer.
  12. debuerat — Lemma: debeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active indicative; Function: governs infinitive; Translation: ought; Notes: Indicates obligation.
  13. saltem — Lemma: saltem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies debuerat; Translation: at least; Notes: Minimizes expected requirement.
  14. septem — Lemma: septem; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies diebus; Translation: seven; Notes: Indicates duration.
  15. diebus — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine/feminine fifth declension; Function: ablative of time; Translation: days; Notes: Expresses duration.
  16. rubore — Lemma: rubor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine third declension; Function: ablative of means; Translation: with shame; Notes: Indicates emotional state.
  17. suffundi — Lemma: suffundo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complement of debuerat; Translation: to be covered; Notes: Expresses passive experience.
  18. Separetur — Lemma: separo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present passive subjunctive; Function: jussive command; Translation: let her be separated; Notes: Expresses directive action.
  19. septem — Lemma: septem; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies diebus; Translation: seven; Notes: Repetition emphasizes duration.
  20. diebus — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural; Function: ablative of time; Translation: days; Notes: Specifies period of exclusion.
  21. extra — Lemma: extra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces location; Translation: outside; Notes: Indicates separation.
  22. castra — Lemma: castra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter second declension; Function: object of extra; Translation: camp; Notes: Refers to Israelite encampment.
  23. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Continues sequence.
  24. postea — Lemma: postea; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies revocabitur; Translation: afterward; Notes: Indicates sequence.
  25. revocabitur — Lemma: revoco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future passive indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: she will be called back; Notes: Expresses restoration after separation.

 

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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