Numeri 21:14 (Numbers 21:14)

Posted on May 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 21:14 Unde dicitur in libro bellorum Domini: Sicut fecit in Mari rubro, sic faciet in torrentibus Arnon.

From this it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD: “Just as he acted in the Red Sea, so he shall act in the torrents of Arnon.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Unde from this ADV
2 dicitur it is said 3SG.PRES.PASS.IND
3 in in PREP+ABL
4 libro book ABL.SG.M
5 bellorum of the wars GEN.PL.N
6 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
7 Sicut just as CONJ
8 fecit he acted 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 in in PREP+ABL
10 Mari Sea ABL.SG.N
11 rubro Red ABL.SG.N
12 sic so ADV
13 faciet he shall act 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
14 in in PREP+ABL
15 torrentibus torrents ABL.PL.M
16 Arnon Arnon INDECL

Syntax

Main Clause: dicitur functions as the central verb introducing the quotation source.

Source Phrase: in libro bellorum Domini identifies the textual source in which the saying appears.

Genitive Construction: bellorum Domini specifies that the wars belong to or are associated with the LORD.

Comparative Clause: Sicut fecit in Mari rubro establishes the historical comparison.

Corresponding Clause: sic faciet in torrentibus Arnon presents the future parallel action.

Location Phrases: in Mari rubro and in torrentibus Arnon identify the geographical settings of divine action.

Morphology

  1. Unde — Lemma: unde; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: relative adverb; Function: introduces explanatory connection; Translation: “from this”; Notes: links the statement with the preceding geographical discussion.
  2. dicitur — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present passive indicative; Function: main verb introducing citation; Translation: “it is said”; Notes: impersonal passive construction introducing a traditional quotation.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces source location; Translation: “in”; Notes: expresses location within a written source.
  4. libro — Lemma: liber; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “book”; Notes: refers to a written record or document.
  5. bellorum — Lemma: bellum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter; Function: modifies libro; Translation: “of the wars”; Notes: identifies the subject matter of the book.
  6. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies bellorum; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: refers to YHWH as the divine warrior.
  7. Sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: comparative conjunction; Function: introduces comparison clause; Translation: “just as”; Notes: establishes parallel between past and future action.
  8. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: verb of comparative clause; Translation: “he acted”; Notes: refers to completed divine action at the Red Sea.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces location phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: expresses the setting of the action.
  10. Mari — Lemma: mare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: “Sea”; Notes: part of the geographical name for the Red Sea.
  11. rubro — Lemma: ruber; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies Mari; Translation: “Red”; Notes: agrees with Mari in case, gender, and number.
  12. sic — Lemma: sic; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: comparative adverb; Function: introduces corresponding clause; Translation: “so”; Notes: answers the comparison introduced by Sicut.
  13. faciet — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of corresponding clause; Translation: “he shall act”; Notes: projects future divine action analogous to the past.
  14. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces location phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: indicates the setting of the future action.
  15. torrentibus — Lemma: torrens; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “torrents”; Notes: refers to the ravines or streambeds associated with Arnon.
  16. Arnon — Lemma: Arnon; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable proper noun; Function: modifies torrentibus; Translation: “Arnon”; Notes: identifies the specific torrent region east of Moab.

 

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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