Numeri 22:25 (Numbers 22:25)

Posted on May 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 22:25 Quem videns asina, iunxit se parieti, et attrivit sedentis pedem. At ille iterum verberabat eam:

Seeing him, the donkey pressed itself against the wall, and crushed the foot of the one sitting. But he again was beating it;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quem whom ACC.SG.M.REL
2 videns seeing PTCP.NOM.SG.F
3 asina the donkey NOM.SG.F
4 iunxit joined 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 se itself ACC.SG.REFL
6 parieti to the wall DAT.SG.M
7 et and CONJ
8 attrivit crushed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 sedentis of the one sitting GEN.SG.M
10 pedem foot ACC.SG.M
11 At but CONJ
12 ille he NOM.SG.M.DEM
13 iterum again ADV
14 verberabat was beating 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
15 eam it ACC.SG.F.PERS

Syntax

Participial Construction: Quem videns asina — circumstantial participial phrase explaining the donkey’s reaction after seeing the angel.

Main Clause: asina (subject) + iunxit (main verb) + se (reflexive object).

Dative Phrase: parieti — dative complement indicating the object against which the donkey pressed itself.

Coordinate Verb: et attrivit — second action performed by the donkey.

Object Phrase: sedentis pedem — direct object of attrivit, with genitive participle modifying pedem.

Adversative Clause: At ille iterum verberabat eam — contrasting reaction of Balaam after the incident.

Morphology

  1. Quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of videns; Translation: “whom”; Notes: refers back to the angel mentioned previously.
  2. videns — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative singular feminine; Function: modifies asina; Translation: “seeing”; Notes: indicates simultaneous perception by the donkey.
  3. asina — Lemma: asina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: subject of iunxit and attrivit; Translation: “the donkey”; Notes: Balaam’s donkey reacts defensively to the angel’s presence.
  4. iunxit — Lemma: iungo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “joined”; Notes: here conveys pressing closely against something.
  5. se — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: reflexive pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: direct object of iunxit; Translation: “itself”; Notes: reflexively refers back to the donkey.
  6. parieti — Lemma: paries; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: dative complement with iunxit; Translation: “to the wall”; Notes: indicates close physical contact with the wall.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins verbs; Translation: “and”; Notes: connects the donkey’s successive actions.
  8. attrivit — Lemma: attero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: secondary main verb; Translation: “crushed”; Notes: implies pressure causing injury.
  9. sedentis — Lemma: sedeo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies pedem; Translation: “of the one sitting”; Notes: refers to Balaam seated upon the donkey.
  10. pedem — Lemma: pes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: direct object of attrivit; Translation: “foot”; Notes: the body part injured against the wall.
  11. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: adversative conjunction; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: marks Balaam’s opposing reaction.
  12. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of verberabat; Translation: “he”; Notes: refers emphatically to Balaam.
  13. iterum — Lemma: iterum; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies verberabat; Translation: “again”; Notes: stresses repeated action.
  14. verberabat — Lemma: verbero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb of adversative clause; Translation: “was beating”; Notes: imperfect tense portrays ongoing striking.
  15. eam — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of verberabat; Translation: “it”; Notes: refers to the donkey receiving the blows.

 

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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