Numeri 13:20 (Numbers 13:20)

^{Nm 13:20} ipsa terra, bona an mala: urbes quales, muratæ an absque muris:

the land itself, whether good or bad; what kind the cities are, whether walled or without walls;

Syntax

Elliptical Phrase: ipsa terra resumes the object of inquiry, with ipsa adding emphasis to terra.

Indirect Question: bona an mala asks whether the land is good or bad.

Elliptical Phrase: urbes quales introduces a second inquiry concerning the character of the cities.

Indirect Question: muratæ an absque muris asks whether the cities are fortified with walls or without walls.

Clause Function: This segment continues the investigative instructions through a pair of concise, elliptical questions.

Morphology

1. ipsa — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: emphatic modifier of terra; Translation: itself; Notes: Adds emphasis, focusing attention on the land in its own character.
2. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine first declension; Function: subject of the implied verb in the indirect question; Translation: the land; Notes: The main object being assessed by the spies.
3. bona — Lemma: bonus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive degree; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: good; Notes: First alternative in the evaluative question about the land.
4. an — Lemma: an; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces alternative; Translation: or; Notes: Marks the second option in a disjunctive question.
5. mala — Lemma: malus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive degree; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: bad; Notes: Contrasts with bona in evaluating the quality of the land.
6. urbes — Lemma: urbs; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine third declension; Function: subject of the implied verb in the following question; Translation: cities; Notes: Shifts the inquiry from the land itself to its settlements.
7. quales — Lemma: qualis; Part of Speech: interrogative adjective; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: what kind; Notes: Introduces the question concerning the nature or condition of the cities.
8. muratæ — Lemma: muro; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle nominative plural feminine; Function: predicate adjective modifying urbes; Translation: walled; Notes: Describes cities as fortified or enclosed by walls.
9. an — Lemma: an; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces alternative; Translation: or; Notes: Sets up the contrasting possibility after muratæ.
10. absque — Lemma: absque; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs the ablative; Function: introduces privative phrase; Translation: without; Notes: Expresses absence of a feature, here city walls.
11. muris — Lemma: murus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine second declension; Function: object of absque; Translation: walls; Notes: Specifies the defensive structures whose absence is being considered.