Numeri 23:20 (Numbers 23:20)

Posted on May 20, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 23:20 Ad benedicendum adductus sum, benedictionem prohibere non valeo.

I was brought to bless; I am not able to prevent the blessing.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ad for PREP+ACC
2 benedicendum blessing ACC.SG.N.GERUNDV
3 adductus brought NOM.SG.M.PERF.PASS.PTCP
4 sum I was 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 benedictionem the blessing ACC.SG.F.3RD DECL
6 prohibere to prevent PRES.ACT.INF
7 non not ADV
8 valeo I am able 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Purpose Phrase: Ad benedicendum expresses the purpose for which Balaam was brought.

Passive Main Clause: adductus sum forms the perfect passive construction describing Balaam’s compelled mission.

Infinitive Construction: prohibere functions as the complementary infinitive dependent on valeo.

Direct Object: benedictionem serves as the object of prohibere.

Negative Clause: non valeo expresses Balaam’s inability to resist or stop the divine blessing.

Contrast of Agency: The verse contrasts Balaam’s human limitation with the unstoppable force of God’s blessing.

Morphology

  1. Ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: preposition governing the accusative; Function: introduces the purpose phrase; Translation: “for”; Notes: The preposition with the gerundive expresses intended purpose.
  2. benedicendum — Lemma: benedico; Part of Speech: gerundive; Form: accusative singular neuter gerundive; Function: object of the preposition Ad within a purpose construction; Translation: “blessing”; Notes: The gerundive expresses the act or purpose of pronouncing blessing.
  3. adductus — Lemma: adduco; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect passive participle; Function: part of the perfect passive verb construction; Translation: “brought”; Notes: The participle emphasizes Balaam’s passive role under divine direction.
  4. sum — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary verb in the perfect passive construction; Translation: “I was”; Notes: The auxiliary completes the perfect passive tense.
  5. benedictionem — Lemma: benedictio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine third declension; Function: direct object of prohibere; Translation: “the blessing”; Notes: The noun refers specifically to the divine blessing pronounced over Israel.
  6. prohibere — Lemma: prohibeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive dependent on valeo; Translation: “to prevent”; Notes: The infinitive expresses the action Balaam is powerless to perform.
  7. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable adverb of negation; Function: negates valeo; Translation: “not”; Notes: The negation stresses Balaam’s inability to oppose God’s purpose.
  8. valeo — Lemma: valeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb expressing ability; Translation: “I am able”; Notes: The verb highlights the limitation of human power before divine decree.

 

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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