Numeri 15:40 (Numbers 15:40)

Posted on May 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 15:40 sed magis memores præceptorum Domini faciant ea, sintque sancti Deo suo.

but rather, being mindful of the commandments of the LORD, they shall do them, and they shall be holy to their God.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sed but CONJ
2 magis rather ADV
3 memores mindful NOM.PL.M/F.ADJ
4 præceptorum of commandments GEN.PL.N.2ND DECL
5 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M.2ND DECL
6 faciant they should do 3PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
7 ea them ACC.PL.N.PERS.PRON
8 sintque and they should be 3PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT+ENCLITIC
9 sancti holy NOM.PL.M.ADJ
10 Deo to God DAT.SG.M.2ND DECL
11 suo their DAT.SG.M.POSS.PRON

Syntax

Adversative Clause: sed magis introduces contrast with the previous warning.

Participial/Predicate Phrase: memores præceptorum Domini describes the state or condition of the subject.

Main Clause: faciant ea expresses the required action.

Coordinated Clause: sintque sancti Deo suo gives the resulting or intended state.

Morphology

  1. sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: adversative connector; Translation: but; Notes: Introduces contrast with prior clause.
  2. magis — Lemma: magis; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: comparative adverb; Translation: rather; Notes: Emphasizes preferred action.
  3. memores — Lemma: memor; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine/feminine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: mindful; Notes: Takes genitive object.
  4. præceptorum — Lemma: præceptum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter second declension; Function: complements memores; Translation: of commandments; Notes: Specifies content remembered.
  5. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine second declension; Function: modifies præceptorum; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  6. faciant — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present subjunctive active; Function: main verb; Translation: they should do; Notes: Subjunctive expresses exhortation or command.
  7. ea — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: them; Notes: Refers to commandments.
  8. sintque — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb with enclitic; Form: third person plural present subjunctive active + enclitic -que; Function: coordinated verb; Translation: and they should be; Notes: Links additional exhortation.
  9. sancti — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: holy; Notes: Describes moral and ritual state.
  10. Deo — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine second declension; Function: dative of relation; Translation: to God; Notes: Indicates relationship or orientation.
  11. suo — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: modifies Deo; Translation: their; Notes: Reflexive possession referring to 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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