Numeri 14:15 (Numbers 14:15)

Posted on May 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 14:15 quod occideris tantam multitudinem quasi unum hominem, et dicant:

that you have killed so great a multitude as though one man, and they may say:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 quod that CONJ
2 occideris you have killed 2SG.PERF.ACT.SUBJ
3 tantam so great ACC.SG.F.ADJ
4 multitudinem multitude ACC.SG.F.NOUN
5 quasi as though ADV
6 unum one ACC.SG.M.ADJ
7 hominem man ACC.SG.M.NOUN
8 et and CONJ
9 dicant they may say 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Object Clause: quod occideris tantam multitudinem continues the reported content, with occideris as the verb and tantam multitudinem as the direct object.

Comparative Phrase: quasi unum hominem compares the killing of a large multitude to the killing of a single man.

Coordinated Clause: et dicant adds the expected speech of the hearers.

Morphology

  1. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable conjunction; Function: introduces reported content; Translation: that; Notes: Continues the indirect statement from the previous context.
  2. occideris — Lemma: occido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular perfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of reported clause; Translation: you have killed; Notes: Subjunctive reflects reported or anticipated speech within Moyses’ appeal.
  3. tantam — Lemma: tantus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine first and second declension; Function: modifies multitudinem; Translation: so great; Notes: Emphasizes the vast size of the people.
  4. multitudinem — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine third declension; Function: direct object of occideris; Translation: multitude; Notes: Collective singular referring to the assembled people.
  5. quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: as though; Notes: Marks an illustrative comparison.
  6. unum — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies hominem; Translation: one; Notes: Contrasts one individual with the great multitude.
  7. hominem — Lemma: homo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine third declension; Function: object of implied comparison; Translation: man; Notes: Represents a single human life in contrast with the multitude.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable conjunction; Function: coordinates clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Links the reported action with the expected response.
  9. dicant — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of anticipated speech; Translation: they may say; Notes: Introduces the words expected from those who hear.

 

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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