Numeri 15:29 (Numbers 15:29)

Posted on May 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 15:29 Tam indigenis quam advenis una lex erit omnium, qui peccaverint ignorantes.

For both the native-born and the strangers, one law shall be for all who shall have sinned in ignorance.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Tam both ADV
2 indigenis for native-born DAT.PL.M.1ST DECL
3 quam as CONJ
4 advenis for strangers DAT.PL.M.3RD DECL
5 una one NOM.SG.F.NUM
6 lex law NOM.SG.F.3RD DECL
7 erit shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
8 omnium of all GEN.PL.M/F/N.ADJ
9 qui who NOM.PL.M.REL.PRON
10 peccaverint shall have sinned 3PL.FUTP.ACT.IND
11 ignorantes ignorant NOM.PL.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP

Syntax

Correlative Construction: Tam … quam links indigenis and advenis, expressing equal application.

Main Clause: una lex erit forms the core statement, with lex as subject and erit as verb.

Dative of Reference: indigenis and advenis indicate for whom the law applies.

Genitive Phrase: omnium depends on lex, specifying scope.

Relative Clause: qui peccaverint ignorantes describes those included under the law.

Morphology

  1. Tam — Lemma: tam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: first element of correlative pair; Translation: both; Notes: Introduces equality between two groups.
  2. indigenis — Lemma: indigena; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine first declension; Function: dative of reference; Translation: for native-born; Notes: Refers to those born within the land.
  3. quam — Lemma: quam; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: second element of correlative pair; Translation: as; Notes: Completes the correlative construction.
  4. advenis — Lemma: advena; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine third declension; Function: dative of reference; Translation: for strangers; Notes: Refers to resident foreigners.
  5. una — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: modifies lex; Translation: one; Notes: Emphasizes unity.
  6. lex — Lemma: lex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine third declension; Function: subject; Translation: law; Notes: Refers to divine legal standard.
  7. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: copulative verb; Translation: shall be; Notes: Establishes future certainty.
  8. omnium — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: genitive plural masculine/feminine/neuter; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of all; Notes: Indicates universal scope.
  9. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of relative clause; Translation: who; Notes: Refers to persons included.
  10. peccaverint — Lemma: pecco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future perfect active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: shall have sinned; Notes: Completed future action.
  11. ignorantes — Lemma: ignoro; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative plural masculine present active participle; Function: modifies qui; Translation: ignorant; Notes: Describes unintentional nature of the sin.

 

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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