Numeri 16:20 (Numbers 16:20)

Posted on May 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 16:20 Locutusque Dominus ad Moysen et Aaron, ait:

And the LORD spoke to Moyses and Aaron, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutusque and having spoken PTCP NOM.SG.M
2 Dominus LORD NOUN NOM.SG.M
3 ad to PREP+ACC
4 Moysen Moses NOUN ACC.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 Aaron Aaron NOUN ACC.SG.M
7 ait said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Participial Construction: Locutusque Dominus — circumstantial participle (“and the LORD having spoken”)

Prepositional Phrase: ad Moysen et Aaron — indirect object indicating recipients

Main Clause: ait — narrative verb introducing direct speech

Morphology

  1. Locutusque — Lemma: loquor + que; Part of Speech: participle with enclitic conjunction; Form: perfect deponent participle nominative singular masculine; Function: circumstantial participle; Translation: and having spoken; Notes: deponent form with active meaning; -que links the clause to prior context.
  2. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  3. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: takes accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: indicates direction toward recipients.
  4. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: Moyses; Notes: Greek-type accusative form retained in Latin.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links nouns; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  6. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: Aaron; Notes: indeclinable form used for multiple cases.
  7. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present tense active voice indicative mood third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: said; Notes: introduces direct speech in narrative.

 

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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