Numeri 20:23 (Numbers 20:23)

Posted on May 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 20:23 ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen:

where the LORD spoke to Moyses.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ubi where ADV
2 locutus having spoken NOM.SG.M.PERF.DEP.PTCP
3 est He was 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
4 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
5 ad to PREP+ACC
6 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Relative-Adverbial Clause: ubi locutus est Dominus ad Moysen identifies the location where the divine speech occurred.

Adverb: ubi functions as a locative-relative adverb connecting the clause to mount Hor mentioned previously.

Main Verbal Construction: locutus est forms a perfect deponent expression describing completed speech.

Subject: Dominus functions as the divine speaker and is translated as “LORD” because it refers to YHWH.

Phrase: ad Moysen functions as a directional phrase identifying the recipient of the divine communication.

Morphology

  1. ubi — Lemma: ubi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: locative-relative adverb; Translation: “where”; Notes: connects the clause to the previously mentioned location.
  2. locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect deponent participle; Function: part of compound perfect deponent construction; Translation: “having spoken”; Notes: the deponent form carries active meaning of speech.
  3. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary verb completing locutus; Translation: “He was”; Notes: forms the perfect tense together with the participle.
  4. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of locutus est; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: here Dominus refers to YHWH and is therefore translated as “LORD.”
  5. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces directional phrase; Translation: “to”; Notes: marks the recipient of the speech.
  6. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “Moyses”; Notes: identifies the prophet receiving the divine communication.

 

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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