Numeri 15:31 (Numbers 15:31)

Posted on May 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 15:31 verbum enim Domini contempsit, et præceptum illius fecit irritum: idcirco delebitur, et portabit iniquitatem suam.

for he has despised the word of the LORD, and has made void His commandment; therefore he shall be utterly destroyed, and he shall bear his iniquity.’”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 verbum word ACC.SG.N.2ND DECL
2 enim for ADV
3 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M.2ND DECL
4 contempsit he has despised 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 et and CONJ
6 præceptum commandment ACC.SG.N.2ND DECL
7 illius of him GEN.SG.M.DEM.PRON
8 fecit he has made 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 irritum void ACC.SG.N.ADJ
10 idcirco therefore ADV
11 delebitur he shall be destroyed 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND
12 et and CONJ
13 portabit he shall bear 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
14 iniquitatem iniquity ACC.SG.F.3RD DECL
15 suam his ACC.SG.F.POSS.PRON

Syntax

Causal Clause: verbum enim Domini contempsit explains the reason, “for he has despised the word of the LORD.”

Coordinated Clause: et præceptum illius fecit irritum adds a parallel action, “and he has made His commandment void.”

Result Clause: idcirco delebitur expresses consequence, “therefore he shall be destroyed.”

Final Clause: et portabit iniquitatem suam adds the outcome of bearing guilt.

Morphology

  1. verbum — Lemma: verbum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: direct object; Translation: word; Notes: Refers to divine utterance or command.
  2. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: explanatory particle; Translation: for; Notes: Introduces explanation or justification.
  3. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine second declension; Function: modifies verbum; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  4. contempsit — Lemma: contemno; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he has despised; Notes: Indicates deliberate rejection.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Adds parallel action.
  6. præceptum — Lemma: præceptum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: direct object; Translation: commandment; Notes: Refers to divine instruction.
  7. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies præceptum; Translation: of him; Notes: Refers to the LORD.
  8. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he has made; Notes: Indicates completed action.
  9. irritum — Lemma: irritus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: void; Notes: Describes nullification.
  10. idcirco — Lemma: idcirco; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces result; Translation: therefore; Notes: Signals consequence.
  11. delebitur — Lemma: deleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future passive indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall be destroyed; Notes: Indicates removal or destruction.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Adds final consequence.
  13. portabit — Lemma: porto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall bear; Notes: Expresses carrying guilt.
  14. iniquitatem — Lemma: iniquitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine third declension; Function: direct object; Translation: iniquity; Notes: Refers to moral guilt.
  15. suam — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies iniquitatem; Translation: his; Notes: Refers back to the subject.

 

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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