Numeri 20:5 (Numbers 20:5)

Posted on May 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 20:5 Quare nos fecistis ascendere de Ægypto, et adduxistis in locum istum pessimum, qui seri non potest, qui nec ficum gignit, nec vineas, nec malogranata, insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum?

Why have you caused us to ascend from Egypt, and brought us into this most miserable place, which cannot be sown, which produces neither fig tree, nor vines, nor pomegranates, and moreover does not have water for drinking?”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quare why ADV
2 nos us ACC.PL
3 fecistis you caused 2PL.PERF.ACT.IND
4 ascendere to ascend PRES.ACT.INF
5 de from PREP+ABL
6 Ægypto Egypt ABL.SG.F
7 et and CONJ
8 adduxistis you brought 2PL.PERF.ACT.IND
9 in into PREP+ACC
10 locum place ACC.SG.M
11 istum this ACC.SG.M
12 pessimum most miserable ACC.SG.M.SUPER
13 qui which NOM.SG.M.REL
14 seri to be sown PRES.PASS.INF
15 non not ADV
16 potest is able 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
17 qui which NOM.SG.M.REL
18 nec neither CONJ
19 ficum fig tree ACC.SG.F
20 gignit produces 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
21 nec nor CONJ
22 vineas vines ACC.PL.F
23 nec nor CONJ
24 malogranata pomegranates ACC.PL.N
25 insuper moreover ADV
26 et also CONJ
27 aquam water ACC.SG.F
28 non not ADV
29 habet has 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
30 ad for PREP+ACC
31 bibendum drinking GERUND.ACC

Syntax

Interrogative Clause: Quare nos fecistis ascendere de Ægypto functions as a rhetorical accusation directed toward Moyses and Aaron.

Verb: fecistis governs the accusative subject nos together with the infinitive ascendere, forming an accusative-infinitive construction.

Phrase: de Ægypto functions as a separative phrase indicating departure from Ægyptus.

Main Clause: adduxistis in locum istum pessimum continues the accusation by describing the destination into which the people were brought.

Phrase: in locum istum pessimum functions as a directional phrase with emphatic negative characterization through the superlative adjective pessimum.

Relative Clause 1: qui seri non potest describes the land as incapable of cultivation.

Relative Clause 2: qui nec ficum gignit, nec vineas, nec malogranata lists agricultural deficiencies in a repetitive negative structure.

Main Clause: insuper et aquam non habet ad bibendum adds the further complaint that even drinking water is absent.

Phrase: ad bibendum functions as a gerundive purpose expression indicating the use of the water.

Morphology

  1. Quare — Lemma: quare; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: interrogative adverb; Translation: “why”; Notes: introduces a forceful rhetorical complaint.
  2. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural first person personal pronoun; Function: accusative subject of the infinitive ascendere; Translation: “us”; Notes: places the community directly as the affected party.
  3. fecistis — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of accusation; Translation: “you caused”; Notes: introduces causative force with the infinitive construction.
  4. ascendere — Lemma: ascendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: “to ascend”; Notes: commonly used for departure from Ægyptus toward the promised land.
  5. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces separative phrase; Translation: “from”; Notes: expresses movement away from a location.
  6. Ægypto — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: “Egypt”; Notes: refers to the land of Egyptian bondage.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinating conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: joins the two accusations together.
  8. adduxistis — Lemma: adduco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural perfect active indicative; Function: second main verb of accusation; Translation: “you brought”; Notes: emphasizes leadership responsibility for the people’s location.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces directional phrase; Translation: “into”; Notes: with the accusative it expresses movement toward a place.
  10. locum — Lemma: locus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “place”; Notes: denotes the destination reached by the people.
  11. istum — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine demonstrative; Function: modifies locum; Translation: “this”; Notes: often carries a dismissive or contemptuous nuance.
  12. pessimum — Lemma: malus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine superlative; Function: modifies locum; Translation: “most miserable”; Notes: the superlative intensifies the negative description of the land.
  13. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine relative pronoun; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: refers back to locum.
  14. seri — Lemma: sero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive with potest; Translation: “to be sown”; Notes: describes the land as agriculturally unusable.
  15. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates potest; Translation: “not”; Notes: directly denies possibility.
  16. potest — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb of ability; Translation: “is able”; Notes: expresses incapacity for cultivation.
  17. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine relative pronoun; Function: introduces second relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: continues the description of the barren land.
  18. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: negative coordinating conjunction; Translation: “neither”; Notes: begins a chain of negative descriptions.
  19. ficum — Lemma: ficus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of gignit; Translation: “fig tree”; Notes: symbolizes agricultural fruitfulness.
  20. gignit — Lemma: gigno; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb of the relative clause; Translation: “produces”; Notes: describes the productive capacity of the land.
  21. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: negative coordinating conjunction; Translation: “nor”; Notes: continues the series of missing produce.
  22. vineas — Lemma: vinea; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: additional object understood with gignit; Translation: “vines”; Notes: vineyards represented abundance and settled prosperity.
  23. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: negative coordinating conjunction; Translation: “nor”; Notes: extends the cumulative lament.
  24. malogranata — Lemma: malogranatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: further object understood with gignit; Translation: “pomegranates”; Notes: another symbol of fertile land and agricultural blessing.
  25. insuper — Lemma: insuper; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: intensifying adverb; Translation: “moreover”; Notes: heightens the complaint with an additional grievance.
  26. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: additive conjunction; Translation: “also”; Notes: strengthens the cumulative force of the accusation.
  27. aquam — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of habet; Translation: “water”; Notes: water scarcity becomes the climactic complaint.
  28. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates habet; Translation: “not”; Notes: directly denies possession.
  29. habet — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “has”; Notes: describes the absence of essential resources.
  30. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces purpose phrase; Translation: “for”; Notes: expresses intended use or purpose.
  31. bibendum — Lemma: bibo; Part of Speech: gerund; Form: accusative singular neuter gerund; Function: object of ad; Translation: “drinking”; Notes: the gerund expresses the practical purpose for which water is needed.

 

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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