Numeri 16:14 (Numbers 16:14)

Posted on May 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 16:14 Revera induxisti nos in terram, quæ fluit rivis lactis et mellis, et dedisti nobis possessiones agrorum et vinearum. an et oculos nostros vis eruere? non venimus.

Truly you have brought us into a land, which flows with streams of milk and honey, and you have given us possessions of fields and vineyards. Or do you also wish to gouge out our eyes? We will not come.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Revera truly ADV
2 induxisti you have led in 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 nos us PRON ACC.PL
4 in into PREP+ACC
5 terram land NOUN ACC.SG.F
6 quæ which PRON REL NOM.SG.F
7 fluit flows 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
8 rivis with streams NOUN ABL.PL.M
9 lactis of milk NOUN GEN.SG.N
10 et and CONJ
11 mellis of honey NOUN GEN.SG.N
12 et and CONJ
13 dedisti you have given 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
14 nobis to us PRON DAT.PL
15 possessiones possessions NOUN ACC.PL.F
16 agrorum of fields NOUN GEN.PL.M
17 et and CONJ
18 vinearum of vineyards NOUN GEN.PL.F
19 an or CONJ
20 et also ADV
21 oculos eyes NOUN ACC.PL.M
22 nostros our PRON POSS ACC.PL.M
23 vis do you wish 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
24 eruere to gouge out INF
25 non not ADV
26 venimus we come 1PL.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause: induxisti nos in terram — accusatory statement (“you have brought us into a land”)

Adverbial Modifier: Revera — intensifies assertion (“truly”)

Relative Clause: quæ fluit rivis lactis et mellis — describes the land

Coordinated Clause: et dedisti nobis possessiones agrorum et vinearum — second accusation

Interrogative Clause: an et oculos nostros vis eruere — rhetorical question expressing outrage

Final Clause: non venimus — firm refusal

Morphology

  1. Revera — Lemma: revera; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies verb; Translation: truly; Notes: emphasizes speaker’s claim.
  2. induxisti — Lemma: induco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect tense active voice indicative mood second person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: you have brought in; Notes: refers to completed action.
  3. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: direct object; Translation: us; Notes: refers to the speakers.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: takes accusative; Function: introduces motion; Translation: into; Notes: indicates direction.
  5. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: land; Notes: refers to location.
  6. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: which; Notes: refers to terra.
  7. fluit — Lemma: fluo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present tense active voice indicative mood third person singular; Function: verb; Translation: flows; Notes: describes ongoing characteristic.
  8. rivis — Lemma: rivus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: ablative of means; Translation: with streams; Notes: expresses manner of flowing.
  9. lactis — Lemma: lac; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of milk; Notes: part of idiom.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links nouns; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  11. mellis — Lemma: mel; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of honey; Notes: completes idiom of abundance.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: continuation.
  13. dedisti — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect tense active voice indicative mood second person singular; Function: verb; Translation: you have given; Notes: refers to completed action.
  14. nobis — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: to us; Notes: indicates recipient.
  15. possessiones — Lemma: possessio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: possessions; Notes: refers to property.
  16. agrorum — Lemma: ager; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of fields; Notes: specifies type of property.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links nouns; Translation: and; Notes: continuation.
  18. vinearum — Lemma: vinea; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of vineyards; Notes: specifies agricultural property.
  19. an — Lemma: an; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: interrogative conjunction; Function: introduces alternative question; Translation: or; Notes: expresses rhetorical contrast.
  20. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies verb; Translation: also; Notes: adds emphasis.
  21. oculos — Lemma: oculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: eyes; Notes: literal or metaphorical sight.
  22. nostros — Lemma: noster; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifier; Translation: our; Notes: agrees with oculos.
  23. vis — Lemma: volo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present tense active voice indicative mood second person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: do you wish; Notes: expresses intention.
  24. eruere — Lemma: eruo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: to gouge out; Notes: violent action implying harm.
  25. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: negates following verb.
  26. venimus — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present tense active voice indicative mood first person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: we come; Notes: present used for firm refusal.

 

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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