Numeri 22:15 (Numbers 22:15)

Posted on May 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 22:15 Rursum ille multo plures et nobiliores quam ante miserat, misit.

Again he sent many more and more noble men than before.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Rursum again ADV
2 ille he NOM.SG.M.DEM
3 multo by much ABL.SG.N
4 plures more ACC.PL.M.CMPR
5 et and CONJ
6 nobiliores more noble ACC.PL.M.CMPR
7 quam than CONJ
8 ante before ADV
9 miserat he had sent 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND
10 misit sent 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause: Rursum ille … misit — narrative clause describing Balac’s second attempt.

Subject: ille — emphatic subject referring to Balac.

Direct Objects: plures et nobiliores — comparative adjectives used substantivally as the objects of misit.

Degree Expression: multo plures — ablative of degree of difference intensifying the comparison.

Comparative Clause: quam ante miserat — clause comparing the new delegation with the earlier one.

Morphology

  1. Rursum — Lemma: rursum; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable adverb; Function: modifies misit; Translation: “again”; Notes: Indicates repetition of Balac’s action.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of misit; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers emphatically to Balac.
  3. multo — Lemma: multus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantivally; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of degree of difference modifying plures; Translation: “by much”; Notes: Intensifies the comparative expression.
  4. plures — Lemma: multus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantivally; Form: accusative plural masculine comparative degree; Function: direct object of misit; Translation: “more”; Notes: Refers to a larger number of envoys.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins the comparative adjectives; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects quantity with social distinction.
  6. nobiliores — Lemma: nobilis; Part of Speech: adjective used substantivally; Form: accusative plural masculine comparative degree; Function: second direct object of misit; Translation: “more noble”; Notes: Refers to envoys of higher rank or status.
  7. quam — Lemma: quam; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: comparative conjunction; Function: introduces the comparative clause; Translation: “than”; Notes: Establishes comparison with the earlier delegation.
  8. ante — Lemma: ante; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable adverb; Function: modifies miserat; Translation: “before”; Notes: Refers to the earlier mission sent to Balaam.
  9. miserat — Lemma: mitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active indicative; Function: verb of the comparative clause; Translation: “he had sent”; Notes: Refers to the previous delegation already completed in the past.
  10. misit — Lemma: mitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: “sent”; Notes: Describes Balac’s renewed diplomatic effort.

 

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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