Numeri 15:16 (Numbers 15:16)

Posted on May 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 15:16 Locutus est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

The LORD spoke to Moyses, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutus spoken NOM.SG.M.PERF.DEP.PTCP
2 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M.2ND DECL
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M.3RD DECL
6 dicens saying NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP

Syntax

Main Clause: Dominus is the subject, with the periphrastic perfect Locutus est functioning as the main verb.

Indirect Object Phrase: ad Moysen indicates the recipient of the speech.

Participial Clause: dicens introduces the content of speech that follows.

Morphology

  1. Locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect deponent participle; Function: part of the periphrastic perfect with est; Translation: spoken; Notes: Deponent verb using passive form with active meaning, indicating completed speech.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary verb; Translation: is; Notes: Forms the perfect tense with the participle Locutus.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine second declension; Function: subject; Translation: the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH, hence translated “LORD.”
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: Indicates direction of speech.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine third declension; Function: object of ad; Translation: Moyses; Notes: The Latin form of Moses, used consistently in the Clementine Vulgate.
  6. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: introduces direct speech; Translation: saying; Notes: Functions to introduce the words that follow.

 

 

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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