Numeri 16:38 (Numbers 16:38)

Posted on May 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 16:38 in mortibus peccatorum: producatque ea in laminas, et affigat altari, eo quod oblatum sit in eis incensum Domino, et sanctificata sint, ut cernant ea pro signo et monimento filii Israel.

in the deaths of the sinners; and let him bring them out into plates, and fasten them to the altar, because incense has been offered in them to the LORD, and they have been sanctified, so that the sons of Israel may see them as a sign and a memorial.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 in in PREP+ABL
2 mortibus deaths ABL.PL.F
3 peccatorum of sinners GEN.PL.M
4 producatque and let him bring out 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
5 ea them ACC.PL.N
6 in into PREP+ACC
7 laminas plates ACC.PL.F
8 et and CONJ
9 affigat let him fasten 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
10 altari to the altar DAT.SG.N
11 eo because ABL.SG.N
12 quod that CONJ
13 oblatum offered NOM.SG.N.PTCP.PERF.PASS
14 sit has been 3SG.PRES.SUBJ
15 in in PREP+ABL
16 eis them ABL.PL.N
17 incensum incense NOM.SG.N
18 Domino LORD DAT.SG.M
19 et and CONJ
20 sanctificata sanctified NOM.PL.N.PTCP.PERF.PASS
21 sint they have been 3PL.PRES.SUBJ
22 ut so that CONJ
23 cernant they may see 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
24 ea them ACC.PL.N
25 pro as PREP+ABL
26 signo sign ABL.SG.N
27 et and CONJ
28 monimento memorial ABL.SG.N
29 filii sons NOM.PL.M
30 Israel Israel GEN.SG.M.INDECL

Syntax

Prepositional Phrase: in mortibus peccatorum — specifies context, “in the deaths of the sinners.”

Subordinate Command Clause: producatque ea in laminas — continuation of prior command.

Coordinated Command: et affigat altari — second action linked to first.

Causal Clause: eo quod oblatum sit in eis incensum Domino — explains reason.

Coordinated Clause: et sanctificata sint — additional reason.

Purpose Clause: ut cernant ea — expresses intended outcome.

Prepositional Phrase: pro signo et monimento — expresses function.

Main Clause (Implied): filii Israel (subject of cernant)

Morphology

  1. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location/context; Translation: in; Notes: marks situational setting.
  2. mortibus — Lemma: mors; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: deaths; Notes: plural emphasizes multiple fatalities.
  3. peccatorum — Lemma: peccator; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of sinners; Notes: identifies those judged.
  4. producatque — Lemma: produco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive with enclitic -que; Function: subordinate command; Translation: and let him bring out; Notes: continues directive.
  5. ea — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: them; Notes: refers to censers.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: direction; Translation: into; Notes: indicates transformation into form.
  7. laminas — Lemma: lamina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: plates; Notes: hammered metal sheets.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links actions; Translation: and; Notes: joins commands.
  9. affigat — Lemma: affigo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: subordinate command; Translation: let him fasten; Notes: continuation of directive.
  10. altari — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular neuter; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the altar; Notes: destination of attachment.
  11. eo — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: part of causal expression; Translation: because; Notes: used with quod.
  12. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: that; Notes: explains reason.
  13. oblatum — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular neuter perfect passive participle; Function: part of passive construction; Translation: offered; Notes: refers to incense.
  14. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present subjunctive; Function: auxiliary; Translation: has been; Notes: subjunctive in subordinate clause.
  15. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: location; Translation: in; Notes: marks place of offering.
  16. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: them; Notes: refers to censers.
  17. incensum — Lemma: incensum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject; Translation: incense; Notes: ritual substance.
  18. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  19. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: adds second reason.
  20. sanctificata — Lemma: sanctifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative plural neuter perfect passive participle; Function: subject complement; Translation: sanctified; Notes: refers to censers.
  21. sint — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present subjunctive; Function: auxiliary; Translation: they have been; Notes: completes passive construction.
  22. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  23. cernant — Lemma: cerno; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: they may see; Notes: expresses intended result.
  24. ea — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: them; Notes: refers to plates/censers.
  25. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses function; Translation: as; Notes: indicates role.
  26. signo — Lemma: signum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: sign; Notes: symbolic purpose.
  27. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: links nouns; Translation: and; Notes: additive relation.
  28. monimento — Lemma: monimentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: memorial; Notes: commemorative purpose.
  29. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject; Translation: sons; Notes: refers to the people.
  30. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine indeclinable; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: Israel; Notes: identifies the group.

 

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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