Numeri 16:34 (Numbers 16:34)

Posted on May 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 16:34 At vero omnis Israel, qui stabat per gyrum, fugit ad clamorem pereuntium, dicens: Ne forte et nos terra deglutiat.

But indeed all Israel, who were standing around, fled at the cry of those perishing, saying: lest perhaps the earth also swallow us.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 At but CONJ
2 vero indeed ADV
3 omnis all NOM.SG.C
4 Israel Israel NOM.SG.M
5 qui who NOM.SG.M.REL
6 stabat was standing 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
7 per around PREP+ACC
8 gyrum circle ACC.SG.M
9 fugit fled 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 ad at PREP+ACC
11 clamorem cry ACC.SG.M
12 pereuntium of those perishing GEN.PL.M.PTCP.PRES
13 dicens saying NOM.SG.M.PTCP.PRES
14 Ne lest CONJ
15 forte perhaps ADV
16 et also CONJ
17 nos us ACC.PL.PERS
18 terra earth NOM.SG.F
19 deglutiat may swallow 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Main Clause: omnis Israel (subject) + fugit (verb)

Relative Clause: qui stabat per gyrum — modifies Israel, describing position.

Prepositional Phrase: ad clamorem pereuntium — expresses cause, “at the cry of those perishing.”

Participial Phrase: dicens — introduces reported speech.

Subordinate Clause: Ne forte et nos terra deglutiat — expresses fear or prevention.

Morphology

  1. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: but; Notes: marks strong contrast with prior events.
  2. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: intensifies statement; Translation: indeed; Notes: adds emphasis.
  3. omnis — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular common; Function: modifies Israel; Translation: all; Notes: collective sense.
  4. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Israel; Notes: indeclinable name.
  5. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine relative; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: who; Notes: refers to Israel.
  6. stabat — Lemma: sto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: was standing; Notes: continuous past action.
  7. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses extent; Translation: around; Notes: spatial distribution.
  8. gyrum — Lemma: gyrus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: circle; Notes: indicates surrounding area.
  9. fugit — Lemma: fugio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: fled; Notes: sudden completed action.
  10. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses cause; Translation: at; Notes: indicates reaction.
  11. clamorem — Lemma: clamor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: cry; Notes: loud outcry.
  12. pereuntium — Lemma: pereo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: genitive plural masculine present active participle; Function: modifies clamorem; Translation: of those perishing; Notes: describes those dying.
  13. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: introduces speech; Translation: saying; Notes: links to subject Israel.
  14. Ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces negative purpose/fear clause; Translation: lest; Notes: expresses fear.
  15. forte — Lemma: forte; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies clause; Translation: perhaps; Notes: expresses uncertainty.
  16. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: adds emphasis; Translation: also; Notes: includes speaker group.
  17. nos — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural first person; Function: direct object; Translation: us; Notes: refers to speakers.
  18. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: earth; Notes: agent of action.
  19. deglutiat — Lemma: deglutio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: may swallow; Notes: subjunctive expresses feared possibility.

 

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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