Numeri 24:1 (Numbers 24:1)

Posted on May 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 24:1 Cumque vidisset Balaam quod placeret Domino ut benediceret Israeli, nequaquam abiit ut ante perrexerat, ut augurium quæreret: sed dirigens contra desertum vultum suum,

And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he by no means went as he had gone before to seek divination; but directing his face toward the wilderness,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque And when CONJ
2 vidisset had seen 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
3 Balaam Balaam NOM.SG.M
4 quod that CONJ
5 placeret it pleased 3SG.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
6 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
7 ut that CONJ
8 benediceret he might bless 3SG.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
9 Israeli Israel DAT.SG.M
10 nequaquam by no means ADV
11 abiit went away 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
12 ut as CONJ
13 ante before ADV
14 perrexerat he had proceeded 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND
15 ut to CONJ
16 augurium divination ACC.SG.N
17 quæreret he might seek 3SG.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
18 sed but CONJ
19 dirigens directing NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP
20 contra toward PREP+ACC
21 desertum wilderness ACC.SG.N
22 vultum face ACC.SG.M
23 suum his ACC.SG.M.POSS

Syntax

Main Clause: Balaam functions as the subject of vidisset, introducing a temporal circumstantial clause initiated by Cumque.

Subordinate Clause: quod placeret Domino forms an object clause explaining what Balaam perceived.

Purpose Clause: ut benediceret Israeli expresses the divine intention or purpose connected to the pleasing action.

Main Action: nequaquam abiit indicates Balaam’s refusal to proceed in his former manner.

Comparative Phrase: ut ante perrexerat compares the present action with Balaam’s previous conduct.

Purpose Construction: ut augurium quæreret explains the former purpose of his journeys, namely seeking omens or divination.

Participial Phrase: dirigens contra desertum vultum suum functions circumstantially, describing Balaam physically turning his attention toward the wilderness.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cumque; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Compound subordinating conjunction with enclitic particle; Function: Introduces a temporal subordinate clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: Combines temporal force with connective continuation from the preceding narrative.
  2. vidisset — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: Main verb of the temporal subordinate clause; Translation: “had seen”; Notes: The subjunctive is required after temporal cum in classical and ecclesiastical narrative style.
  3. Balaam — Lemma: Balaam; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine indeclinable; Function: Subject of vidisset; Translation: “Balaam”; Notes: The Hebrew personal name remains indeclinable in Latin usage.
  4. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Subordinating conjunction; Function: Introduces a content clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Explains the content of Balaam’s perception.
  5. placeret — Lemma: placeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular imperfect active subjunctive; Function: Verb of the subordinate clause; Translation: “it pleased”; Notes: The imperfect subjunctive reflects dependent discourse after quod.
  6. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Dative singular masculine second declension; Function: Indirect object with placeret; Translation: “to the LORD”; Notes: Refers here to YHWH and is therefore translated as “LORD.”
  7. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Subordinating conjunction; Function: Introduces a purpose clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Marks intended or desired action.
  8. benediceret — Lemma: benedico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular imperfect active subjunctive; Function: Verb of the purpose clause; Translation: “he might bless”; Notes: The verb governs the dative case in ecclesiastical Latin usage.
  9. Israeli — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Dative singular masculine indeclinable; Function: Indirect object of benediceret; Translation: “Israel”; Notes: Functions as the recipient of divine blessing.
  10. nequaquam — Lemma: nequaquam; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable adverb; Function: Modifies abiit; Translation: “by no means”; Notes: Expresses emphatic negation.
  11. abiit — Lemma: abeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: Main finite verb of the narrative; Translation: “went away”; Notes: Indicates decisive completed action.
  12. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Comparative conjunction; Function: Introduces comparison; Translation: “as”; Notes: Compares Balaam’s present behavior with earlier actions.
  13. ante — Lemma: ante; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Indeclinable adverb; Function: Temporal modifier; Translation: “before”; Notes: Refers to Balaam’s previous practice.
  14. perrexerat — Lemma: pergo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular pluperfect active indicative; Function: Verb of the comparative clause; Translation: “he had proceeded”; Notes: The pluperfect situates the action prior to the present narrative moment.
  15. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Purpose conjunction; Function: Introduces purpose clause; Translation: “to”; Notes: Explains Balaam’s former intent.
  16. augurium — Lemma: augurium; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: Direct object of quæreret; Translation: “divination”; Notes: Refers to omen-seeking or interpretive ritual practices.
  17. quæreret — Lemma: quaero; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular imperfect active subjunctive; Function: Verb of the purpose clause; Translation: “he might seek”; Notes: The subjunctive follows purpose construction after ut.
  18. sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating conjunction; Function: Introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Marks a decisive change in Balaam’s conduct.
  19. dirigens — Lemma: dirigo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: Circumstantial participle modifying Balaam; Translation: “directing”; Notes: Describes simultaneous action accompanying the main verb.
  20. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Preposition governing accusative; Function: Introduces directional phrase; Translation: “toward”; Notes: Indicates orientation or facing direction.
  21. desertum — Lemma: desertum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: Object of contra; Translation: “wilderness”; Notes: Refers to the barren region before Balaam’s view.
  22. vultum — Lemma: vultus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine fourth declension; Function: Direct object of dirigens; Translation: “face”; Notes: Literally denotes facial orientation or gaze.
  23. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Possessive adjective; Form: Accusative singular masculine positive degree; Function: Modifies vultum; Translation: “his”; Notes: Reflexively refers back to Balaam as subject.

 

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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