Numeri 20:10 (Numbers 20:10)

Posted on May 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 20:10 congregata multitudine ante petram, dixitque eis: Audite rebelles et increduli: Num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus eiicere?

and after the multitude had been gathered before the rock, he said to them: “Hear, rebels and unbelieving ones: Shall we be able to bring forth water for you from this rock?”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 congregata having been gathered ABL.SG.F.PERF.PASS.PTCP
2 multitudine multitude ABL.SG.F
3 ante before PREP+ACC
4 petram rock ACC.SG.F
5 dixitque and he said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 eis to them DAT.PL
7 Audite hear 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
8 rebelles rebels VOC.PL.M
9 et and CONJ
10 increduli unbelieving ones VOC.PL.M
11 Num surely ADV
12 de from PREP+ABL
13 petra rock ABL.SG.F
14 hac this ABL.SG.F
15 vobis for you DAT.PL
16 aquam water ACC.SG.F
17 poterimus will we be able 1PL.FUT.ACT.IND
18 eiicere to bring forth PRES.ACT.INF

Syntax

Ablative Absolute: congregata multitudine functions independently from the main clause and establishes the circumstance that the people had already been assembled.

Phrase: ante petram functions as a locative phrase identifying the place of assembly.

Main Clause: dixitque eis introduces Moyses’ direct address to the people.

Imperative Clause: Audite rebelles et increduli functions as a sharp rebuke directed toward the assembled multitude.

Vocatives: rebelles and increduli directly identify the people according to their rebellious and unbelieving behavior.

Interrogative Clause: Num de petra hac vobis aquam poterimus eiicere expresses a rhetorical question regarding the bringing forth of water from the rock.

Phrase: de petra hac functions as a separative phrase indicating the source from which water would come.

Infinitive Construction: poterimus eiicere combines a finite verb of ability with a complementary infinitive.

Morphology

  1. congregata — Lemma: congrego; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative singular feminine perfect passive participle; Function: part of ablative absolute construction; Translation: “having been gathered”; Notes: describes the completed assembly of the people before the following speech.
  2. multitudine — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: noun of the ablative absolute; Translation: “multitude”; Notes: refers collectively to the assembled people of Israel.
  3. ante — Lemma: ante; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: “before”; Notes: indicates position in front of the rock.
  4. petram — Lemma: petra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ante; Translation: “rock”; Notes: the rock stands as the visible object associated with the miracle.
  5. dixitque — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative with enclitic conjunction; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: “and he said”; Notes: the enclitic -que tightly joins the speech to the preceding action.
  6. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object of dixitque; Translation: “to them”; Notes: refers to the assembled multitude.
  7. Audite — Lemma: audio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active imperative; Function: imperative command; Translation: “hear”; Notes: forcefully demands attention from the people.
  8. rebelles — Lemma: rebellis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: vocative plural masculine; Function: vocative of direct address; Translation: “rebels”; Notes: characterizes the people according to their defiant behavior.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinating conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: joins the two accusatory descriptions.
  10. increduli — Lemma: incredulus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: vocative plural masculine; Function: second vocative of direct address; Translation: “unbelieving ones”; Notes: emphasizes lack of trust in divine provision.
  11. Num — Lemma: num; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: interrogative particle; Translation: “surely”; Notes: introduces a rhetorical question often expecting doubt or disbelief.
  12. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces separative phrase; Translation: “from”; Notes: identifies source or origin.
  13. petra — Lemma: petra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: “rock”; Notes: indicates the miraculous source of water.
  14. hac — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine demonstrative; Function: modifies petra; Translation: “this”; Notes: points specifically to the visible rock before the people.
  15. vobis — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural second person personal pronoun; Function: indirect object of eiicere; Translation: “for you”; Notes: identifies the beneficiaries of the water.
  16. aquam — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of eiicere; Translation: “water”; Notes: refers to the needed provision for the people.
  17. poterimus — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person plural future active indicative; Function: finite verb governing infinitive; Translation: “will we be able”; Notes: expresses ability or capability concerning the coming action.
  18. eiicere — Lemma: eiicio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive with poterimus; Translation: “to bring forth”; Notes: literally conveys casting or bringing something outward from within.

 

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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