Numeri 25:12 (Numbers 25:12)

Posted on May 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 25:12 idcirco loquere ad eum: Ecce do ei pacem fœderis mei,

Therefore speak to him: ‘Behold, I give to him the peace of my covenant,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 idcirco therefore ADV
2 loquere speak 2SG.PRES.DEP.IMP.MOOD
3 ad to PREP+ACC
4 eum him ACC.SG.M.PERS
5 Ecce behold INTJ
6 do I give 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 ei to him DAT.SG.M.PERS
8 pacem peace ACC.SG.F
9 fœderis of covenant GEN.SG.N
10 mei my GEN.SG.N.POSS

Syntax

Main Imperative Clause: idcirco loquere ad eum contains the command directed to Moyses, with loquere functioning as the imperative verb.

Prepositional Phrase: ad eum identifies the recipient of the spoken declaration.

Direct Speech Clause: Ecce do ei pacem fœderis mei presents the divine promise bestowed upon Phinees.

Indirect Object: ei functions as the recipient of the gift expressed by do.

Direct Object: pacem functions as the object given.

Genitival Construction: fœderis mei modifies pacem, specifying the covenantal nature of the peace granted.

Morphology

  1. idcirco — Lemma: idcirco; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces logical consequence; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: connects the divine reward directly to the preceding act of zeal.
  2. loquere — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present deponent imperative, 3rd conjugation; Function: imperative verb of command; Translation: “speak”; Notes: deponent verb with active meaning directing Moyses to proclaim the message.
  3. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces recipient phrase; Translation: “to”; Notes: expresses direction toward the hearer.
  4. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “him”; Notes: refers to Phinees.
  5. Ecce — Lemma: ecce; Part of Speech: interjection; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces solemn declaration; Translation: “behold”; Notes: draws attention to the significance of the covenant promise.
  6. do — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present active indicative, 1st conjugation; Function: main verb of direct speech; Translation: “I give”; Notes: expresses immediate divine granting.
  7. ei — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of do; Translation: “to him”; Notes: identifies Phinees as recipient of the covenant gift.
  8. pacem — Lemma: pax; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, 3rd declension; Function: direct object of do; Translation: “peace”; Notes: signifies covenantal harmony, favor, and divine acceptance.
  9. fœderis — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter, 3rd declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying pacem; Translation: “of covenant”; Notes: identifies the peace as covenantal in nature.
  10. mei — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies fœderis; Translation: “my”; Notes: emphasizes the covenant as belonging to the LORD himself.

 

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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