Numeri 22:32 (Numbers 22:32)

Posted on May 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 22:32 Cui angelus: Cur, inquit, tertio verberas asinam tuam? Ego veni ut adversarer tibi, quia perversa est via tua, mihique contraria:

To whom the angel said: “Why,” he said, “are you beating your donkey for the third time? I came so that I might oppose you, because your way is perverse and contrary to me;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cui to whom DAT.SG.M.REL
2 angelus the angel NOM.SG.M
3 Cur why ADV.INT
4 inquit he said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 tertio for the third time ABL.SG.N
6 verberas are you beating 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 asinam the donkey ACC.SG.F
8 tuam your ACC.SG.F.POSS
9 Ego I NOM.SG.PERS
10 veni came 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 ut so that CONJ
12 adversarer I might oppose 1SG.IMP.DEP.SUBJ
13 tibi you DAT.SG
14 quia because CONJ
15 perversa perverse NOM.SG.F
16 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
17 via the way NOM.SG.F
18 tua your NOM.SG.F.POSS
19 mihique and to me DAT.SG
20 contraria contrary NOM.SG.F

Syntax

Introductory Phrase: Cui angelus — indirect introductory expression indicating the recipient of the angel’s speech.

Direct Question: Cur tertio verberas asinam tuam? — interrogative clause questioning Balaam’s repeated violence.

Parenthetical Verb: inquit — inserted verb of speaking within the quotation.

Main Clause: Ego veni — declarative clause expressing the angel’s arrival.

Purpose Clause: ut adversarer tibi — subordinate clause expressing intended opposition toward Balaam.

Causal Clause: quia perversa est via tua — explains the reason for the angel’s opposition.

Predicate Adjective Construction: mihique contraria — describes Balaam’s way as hostile or opposed to the angel.

Morphology

  1. Cui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object introducing speech recipient; Translation: “to whom”; Notes: refers back to Balaam.
  2. angelus — Lemma: angelus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, 2nd declension; Function: subject of implied speech verb; Translation: “the angel”; Notes: the divine messenger confronting Balaam.
  3. Cur — Lemma: cur; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: interrogative adverb; Function: introduces direct question; Translation: “why”; Notes: asks the reason for Balaam’s behavior.
  4. inquit — Lemma: inquam; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active indicative; Function: parenthetical verb of speaking; Translation: “he said”; Notes: commonly inserted within direct speech.
  5. tertio — Lemma: tertius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter positive degree; Function: ablative of occasion; Translation: “for the third time”; Notes: idiomatic expression of repeated action.
  6. verberas — Lemma: verbero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb of direct question; Translation: “are you beating”; Notes: present tense portrays ongoing or repeated striking.
  7. asinam — Lemma: asina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: direct object of verberas; Translation: “the donkey”; Notes: refers to Balaam’s animal.
  8. tuam — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine positive degree; Function: modifies asinam; Translation: “your”; Notes: emphasizes Balaam’s ownership and responsibility.
  9. Ego — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: nominative singular; Function: emphatic subject of veni; Translation: “I”; Notes: stresses the angel’s personal intervention.
  10. veni — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of declarative clause; Translation: “came”; Notes: expresses completed arrival.
  11. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: expresses intended purpose.
  12. adversarer — Lemma: adversor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular imperfect deponent subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “I might oppose”; Notes: deponent verb with active meaning expressing resistance.
  13. tibi — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object of adversarer; Translation: “you”; Notes: refers to Balaam as the one opposed.
  14. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: “because”; Notes: explains the reason for opposition.
  15. perversa — Lemma: perversus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive degree; Function: predicate adjective with est; Translation: “perverse”; Notes: morally describes Balaam’s course of action.
  16. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active indicative; Function: copulative verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: links subject and predicate adjective.
  17. via — Lemma: via; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: subject of est; Translation: “the way”; Notes: metaphorically refers to Balaam’s conduct or path.
  18. tua — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive degree; Function: modifies via; Translation: “your”; Notes: identifies Balaam’s own course of action.
  19. mihique — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: dative singular with enclitic -que; Function: dative complement with contraria; Translation: “and to me”; Notes: expresses opposition directed against the angel.
  20. contraria — Lemma: contrarius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive degree; Function: predicate adjective modifying via; Translation: “contrary”; Notes: describes Balaam’s path as hostile or opposed.

 

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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