Numeri 17:1 (Numbers 17:1)

Posted on May 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 17:1 Et locutus est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

Then the LORD spoke to Moyses, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et then CONJ
2 locutus having spoken PTCP.NOM.SG.M.PERF.DEP
3 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
4 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
5 ad to PREP+ACC
6 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
7 dicens saying PTCP.NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT

Syntax

Main Clause: Dominus (subject) + locutus est (perfect deponent verb, main action)
Indirect Object Phrase: ad Moysen — prepositional phrase indicating the recipient of speech
Participial Phrase: dicens — present participle introducing the content of the speech

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction (indeclinable); Function: connects this clause with the preceding narrative; Translation: then; Notes: often rendered contextually as “then” to indicate narrative progression.
  2. locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: perfect active participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: forms the periphrastic perfect with est; Translation: having spoken; Notes: deponent verb with active meaning despite passive form.
  3. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, third person singular; Function: auxiliary verb forming the perfect tense with locutus; Translation: is; Notes: combines with the participle to express completed past action.
  4. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: subject of the clause; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH and therefore translated in small caps as “LORD.”
  5. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs the accusative case; Function: introduces indirect object phrase; Translation: to; Notes: indicates direction toward a person.
  6. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: object of the preposition ad; Translation: Moyses; Notes: Latinized form of the Hebrew name Mosheh.
  7. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active participle, nominative singular masculine; Function: introduces direct discourse; Translation: saying; Notes: commonly used to introduce quoted speech following verbs of speaking.

 

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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