Numeri 22:19 (Numbers 22:19)

Posted on May 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 22:19 Obsecro ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte, et scire queam quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus.

I beg that you remain here also this night, and that I may know what the LORD may answer to me again.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Obsecro I beg 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
2 ut that CONJ
3 hic here ADV
4 maneatis you may remain 2PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
5 etiam also ADV
6 hac this ABL.SG.F.DEM
7 nocte night ABL.SG.F
8 et and CONJ
9 scire to know PRES.ACT.INF
10 queam I may be able 1SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
11 quid what ACC.SG.N.INT
12 mihi to me DAT.SG
13 rursum again ADV
14 respondeat may answer 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
15 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Obsecro — introductory verb expressing earnest request.

Subordinate Clause: ut hic maneatis etiam hac nocte — clause expressing Balaam’s request that the envoys remain another night.

Adverbial Phrase: etiam hac nocte — temporal phrase emphasizing an additional night.

Coordinated Clause: et scire queam — clause expressing Balaam’s purpose or desire to gain further knowledge.

Infinitival Complement: scire — infinitive dependent on queam.

Indirect Question: quid mihi rursum respondeat Dominus — subordinate interrogative clause functioning as the object of scire.

Subject: Dominus — subject of respondeat.

Morphology

  1. Obsecro — Lemma: obsecro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb of entreaty; Translation: “I beg”; Notes: Expresses earnest appeal or request.
  2. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces the subordinate clause of request; Translation: “that”; Notes: Commonly used after verbs of asking or urging.
  3. hic — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable adverb; Function: modifies maneatis; Translation: “here”; Notes: Indicates the location where the envoys are to stay.
  4. maneatis — Lemma: maneo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of the subordinate clause after ut; Translation: “you may remain”; Notes: Subjunctive mood reflects requested action.
  5. etiam — Lemma: etiam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable adverb; Function: modifies the temporal phrase; Translation: “also”; Notes: Emphasizes continuation for another night.
  6. hac — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies nocte; Translation: “this”; Notes: Specifies the present night.
  7. nocte — Lemma: nox; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: “night”; Notes: Indicates the time period of remaining.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins the two subordinate clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects remaining with seeking further revelation.
  9. scire — Lemma: scio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive dependent on queam; Translation: “to know”; Notes: Expresses desire for knowledge or understanding.
  10. queam — Lemma: queo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb expressing capability or possibility; Translation: “I may be able”; Notes: Subjunctive mood reflects intended purpose.
  11. quid — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: interrogative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of respondeat within the indirect question; Translation: “what”; Notes: Introduces the content of the indirect question.
  12. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object of respondeat; Translation: “to me”; Notes: Refers to Balaam as recipient of the divine response.
  13. rursum — Lemma: rursum; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable adverb; Function: modifies respondeat; Translation: “again”; Notes: Indicates expectation of a further divine answer.
  14. respondeat — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of the indirect question; Translation: “may answer”; Notes: Subjunctive is standard in indirect questions.
  15. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of respondeat; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH and therefore translated as “LORD.”

 

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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