Numeri 21:18 (Numbers 21:18)

Posted on May 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 21:18 Puteus, quem foderunt principes, et paraverunt duces multitudinis in datore legis, et in baculis suis. De solitudine, Matthana.

“The well which the princes dug, and the leaders of the multitude prepared with the giver of the law and with their staffs.” From the wilderness, Matthana.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Puteus well NOM.SG.M
2 quem which REL.ACC.SG.M
3 foderunt they dug 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
4 principes princes NOM.PL.M
5 et and CONJ
6 paraverunt they prepared 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
7 duces leaders NOM.PL.M
8 multitudinis of the multitude GEN.SG.F
9 in with PREP+ABL
10 datore giver ABL.SG.M
11 legis of the law GEN.SG.F
12 et and CONJ
13 in with PREP+ABL
14 baculis staffs ABL.PL.M
15 suis their ABL.PL.M
16 De from PREP+ABL
17 solitudine wilderness ABL.SG.F
18 Matthana Matthana INDECL

Syntax

Main Subject: Puteus serves as the central subject described by the following relative clause.

Relative Clause: quem foderunt principes explains that the princes dug the well.

Coordinate Clause: et paraverunt duces multitudinis adds the action of the leaders preparing the well.

Genitive Construction: duces multitudinis identifies the leaders as belonging to the multitude.

Instrumental Phrases: in datore legis and in baculis suis describe the associated means or accompaniment in preparing the well.

Geographical Notice: De solitudine, Matthana marks the next stage in the travel itinerary.

Morphology

  1. Puteus — Lemma: puteus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: main subject of the sentence; Translation: “well”; Notes: refers to the water source celebrated in the preceding song.
  2. quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: relative accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object within the relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: refers back to Puteus.
  3. foderunt — Lemma: fodio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: “they dug”; Notes: describes the completed action of excavation.
  4. principes — Lemma: princeps; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of foderunt; Translation: “princes”; Notes: refers to leaders or chiefs among the people.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins the two actions; Translation: “and”; Notes: links digging with preparing.
  6. paraverunt — Lemma: paro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative; Function: second verb in the relative description; Translation: “they prepared”; Notes: may imply arranging or establishing access to the well.
  7. duces — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of paraverunt; Translation: “leaders”; Notes: denotes chiefs or commanders of the people.
  8. multitudinis — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies duces; Translation: “of the multitude”; Notes: identifies the larger community led by the chiefs.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces accompaniment or instrument phrase; Translation: “with”; Notes: here expresses associated means or participation.
  10. datore — Lemma: dator; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “giver”; Notes: likely refers to the lawgiver associated with the people’s leadership.
  11. legis — Lemma: lex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies datore; Translation: “of the law”; Notes: specifies the sphere or role of the giver.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins the two instrumental phrases; Translation: “and”; Notes: connects the lawgiver with the staffs.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces instrument phrase; Translation: “with”; Notes: expresses means or accompaniment.
  14. baculis — Lemma: baculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “staffs”; Notes: staffs symbolized authority and practical leadership.
  15. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural masculine possessive adjective; Function: modifies baculis; Translation: “their”; Notes: refers back to the leaders and princes.
  16. De — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the ablative; Function: introduces departure phrase; Translation: “from”; Notes: marks movement away from a place.
  17. solitudine — Lemma: solitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of De; Translation: “wilderness”; Notes: refers to the desert region crossed by the people.
  18. Matthana — Lemma: Matthana; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable proper noun; Function: geographical destination in itinerary style; Translation: “Matthana”; Notes: one of the stations in Israel’s wilderness journey.

 

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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