Numeri 19:15 (Numbers 19:15)

Posted on May 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 19:15 Vas, quod non habuerit operculum, nec ligaturam desuper, immundum erit.

A vessel which shall not have a cover, nor a binding over it, shall be unclean.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vas vessel NOM.SG.N
2 quod which NOM.SG.N.REL
3 non not ADV
4 habuerit shall have 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
5 operculum cover ACC.SG.N
6 nec nor CONJ
7 ligaturam binding ACC.SG.F
8 desuper over it ADV
9 immundum unclean NOM.SG.N.ADJ
10 erit shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause: Vas … immundum erit states the legal result concerning the vessel.

Relative Clause: quod non habuerit operculum, nec ligaturam desuper defines the condition that makes the vessel unclean.

Compound Direct Object: operculum, nec ligaturam identifies what the vessel lacks: a cover or a binding above.

Predicate Expression: immundum erit declares the vessel’s ritual status.

Morphology

  1. Vas — Lemma: vas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter, third declension; Function: subject of the main clause; Translation: “vessel”; Notes: Refers to a container affected by corpse impurity regulations.
  2. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of the relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers back to Vas.
  3. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates habuerit; Translation: “not”; Notes: Marks the absence of required covering.
  4. habuerit — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: “shall have”; Notes: Expresses the vessel’s condition prior to its declared impurity.
  5. operculum — Lemma: operculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, second declension; Function: direct object of habuerit; Translation: “cover”; Notes: Refers to a lid or covering that would protect the vessel from contamination.
  6. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates the second negative object; Translation: “nor”; Notes: Adds a second missing protective feature.
  7. ligaturam — Lemma: ligatura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, first declension; Function: second direct object of habuerit; Translation: “binding”; Notes: Refers to a fastening or tied covering over the vessel.
  8. desuper — Lemma: desuper; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies ligaturam by indicating position; Translation: “over it”; Notes: Describes the binding as placed from above or over the opening.
  9. immundum — Lemma: immundus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter positive degree; Function: predicate adjective linked with erit; Translation: “unclean”; Notes: Describes ritual impurity resulting from exposure.
  10. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: copulative verb; Translation: “shall be”; Notes: Declares the vessel’s future ritual status under the law.

 

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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