Numeri 17:3 (Numbers 17:3)

Posted on May 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 17:3 nomen autem Aaron erit in tribu Levi, et una virga cunctas seorsum familias continebit:

Now the name of Aaron shall be in the tribe of Levi, and one rod shall contain all the families separately;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 nomen name NOM.SG.N
2 autem now CONJ
3 Aaron Aaron INDECL
4 erit shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
5 in in PREP+ABL
6 tribu tribe ABL.SG.F
7 Levi Levi INDECL
8 et and CONJ
9 una one NOM.SG.F
10 virga rod NOM.SG.F
11 cunctas all ACC.PL.F
12 seorsum separately ADV
13 familias families ACC.PL.F
14 continebit shall contain 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause 1: nomen Aaron (subject phrase) + erit (copulative verb)
Prepositional Phrase: in tribu Levi — indicates location or association

Main Clause 2: una virga (subject) + continebit (verb)
Object: cunctas familias — direct object
Adverbial Modifier: seorsum — modifies manner, indicating separation

Morphology

  1. nomen — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter, third declension; Function: subject of erit; Translation: name; Notes: denotes identifying designation.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction (indeclinable); Function: connects clause with contrast or continuation; Translation: now; Notes: often lightly adversative or transitional.
  3. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: genitive sense with nomen; Translation: Aaron; Notes: Hebrew name retained without Latin inflection.
  4. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: shall be; Notes: expresses future state or assignment.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: indicates position or association.
  6. tribu — Lemma: tribus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, fourth declension; Function: object of in; Translation: tribe; Notes: refers to one of the divisions of Israel.
  7. Levi — Lemma: Levi; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies tribu; Translation: Levi; Notes: tribal name.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple connective.
  9. una — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: modifies virga; Translation: one; Notes: emphasizes singularity.
  10. virga — Lemma: virga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, first declension; Function: subject of continebit; Translation: rod; Notes: symbolic staff of authority.
  11. cunctas — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies familias; Translation: all; Notes: denotes total inclusion.
  12. seorsum — Lemma: seorsum; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies continebit; Translation: separately; Notes: emphasizes distinction or separation.
  13. familias — Lemma: familia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine, first declension; Function: direct object of continebit; Translation: families; Notes: refers to household or clan units.
  14. continebit — Lemma: contineo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, third person singular; Function: main verb of second clause; Translation: shall contain; Notes: indicates holding or encompassing.

 

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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