Numeri 12:3 (Numbers 12:3)

Posted on May 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 12:3 (Erat enim Moyses vir mitissimus super omnes homines qui morabantur in terra)

(For Moyses was a very meek man above all men who were dwelling on the earth)

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Erat was 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
2 enim for CONJ
3 Moyses Moyses NOM.SG.M
4 vir man NOM.SG.M
5 mitissimus most meek NOM.SG.M SUPER
6 super above PREP+ACC
7 omnes all ACC.PL.M
8 homines men ACC.PL.M
9 qui who NOM.PL.M REL
10 morabantur were dwelling 3PL.IMP.DEP.IND
11 in on PREP+ABL
12 terra earth ABL.SG.F

Syntax

Main Clause: Moyses is the subject, with erat as the linking verb. vir mitissimus functions as the predicate nominative describing the subject.

Phrase: super omnes homines is a comparative prepositional phrase expressing extent or superiority, indicating that Moyses surpasses all others in meekness.

Relative Clause: qui morabantur in terra modifies homines. qui is the subject of morabantur, and in terra is a locative phrase describing where they dwell.

Morphology

  1. Erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: main linking verb of the clause; Translation: was; Notes: The imperfect tense describes a continuing state in past narrative.
  2. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable coordinating particle; Function: explanatory connector; Translation: for; Notes: It introduces a reason or explanatory comment on the previous statement.
  3. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of erat; Translation: Moyses; Notes: The central figure being described in the clause.
  4. vir — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine second declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: man; Notes: It identifies the basic category of the subject before further qualification.
  5. mitissimus — Lemma: mitis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine superlative; Function: modifies vir as a predicate adjective; Translation: most meek; Notes: The superlative expresses the highest degree among all compared individuals.
  6. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces a comparative phrase; Translation: above; Notes: It indicates superiority in comparison.
  7. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies homines; Translation: all; Notes: It broadens the comparison to include every human being.
  8. homines — Lemma: homo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine third declension; Function: object of super; Translation: men; Notes: It represents humanity as the group of comparison.
  9. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of the relative clause; Translation: who; Notes: It refers back to homines and introduces additional information.
  10. morabantur — Lemma: moror; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural imperfect deponent indicative; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: were dwelling; Notes: As a deponent verb, it has passive form but active meaning.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces a locative phrase; Translation: on; Notes: It specifies location.
  12. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine first declension; Function: object of in; Translation: earth; Notes: It identifies the realm in which the people dwell.

 

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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