Numeri 21:15 (Numbers 21:15)

Posted on May 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 21:15 Scopuli torrentium inclinati sunt, ut requiescerent in Ar, et recumberent in finibus Moabitarum.

The cliffs of the torrents were inclined so that they might rest in Ar, and might lie along the borders of the Moabites.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Scopuli cliffs NOM.PL.M
2 torrentium of the torrents GEN.PL.M
3 inclinati inclined PERF.PASS.PTCP.NOM.PL.M
4 sunt are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
5 ut so that CONJ
6 requiescerent they might rest 3PL.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
7 in in PREP+ABL
8 Ar Ar INDECL
9 et and CONJ
10 recumberent they might lie 3PL.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
11 in along PREP+ABL
12 finibus borders ABL.PL.M
13 Moabitarum of the Moabites GEN.PL.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Scopuli torrentium inclinati sunt describes the inclined position of the torrent cliffs.

Subject: Scopuli functions as the subject of inclinati sunt.

Genitive Construction: torrentium modifies Scopuli and identifies the cliffs as belonging to the torrents.

Purpose Clause: ut requiescerent in Ar expresses the intended resting orientation toward Ar.

Coordinate Purpose Clause: et recumberent in finibus Moabitarum adds a parallel geographical description.

Location Phrase: in finibus Moabitarum identifies the bordering region associated with the Moabites.

Morphology

  1. Scopuli — Lemma: scopulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of inclinati sunt; Translation: “cliffs”; Notes: refers to rocky heights or crags associated with the torrent valleys.
  2. torrentium — Lemma: torrens; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies Scopuli; Translation: “of the torrents”; Notes: identifies the ravines or streambeds connected with the cliffs.
  3. inclinati — Lemma: inclino; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect passive participle nominative plural masculine; Function: forms compound perfect with sunt; Translation: “inclined”; Notes: describes a leaning or sloping position.
  4. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present active indicative; Function: auxiliary verb with inclinati; Translation: “are”; Notes: completes the perfect tense construction.
  5. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: governs the subjunctive verbs requiescerent and recumberent.
  6. requiescerent — Lemma: requiesco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural imperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of the purpose clause; Translation: “they might rest”; Notes: expresses intended or figurative resting position.
  7. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces location phrase; Translation: “in”; Notes: expresses place where.
  8. Ar — Lemma: Ar; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable proper noun; Function: object of in; Translation: “Ar”; Notes: principal city or region associated with Moab.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins the two subjunctive clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: links the two geographical descriptions.
  10. recumberent — Lemma: recumbo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural imperfect active subjunctive; Function: second verb of the purpose clause; Translation: “they might lie”; Notes: conveys reclining or stretching along a boundary.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces territorial phrase; Translation: “along”; Notes: expresses position within or bordering an area.
  12. finibus — Lemma: finis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “borders”; Notes: refers to territorial limits or frontier regions.
  13. Moabitarum — Lemma: Moabita; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies finibus; Translation: “of the Moabites”; Notes: identifies the people whose territory bordered the region.

 

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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