Numeri 26:52 (Numbers 26:52)

Posted on May 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 26:52 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

And the LORD spoke to Moyses, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutusque and having spoken NOM.SG.M.PERF.DEP.PTCP
2 est spoke 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
6 dicens saying NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP

Syntax

Main Clause: Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen introduces a new divine speech directed to Moyses.

Subject: Dominus functions as the subject of the verbal expression Locutusque est.

Verbal Expression: Locutusque est is a deponent perfect construction meaning “spoke.”

Prepositional Phrase: ad Moysen identifies the recipient of the divine message.

Participial Modifier: dicens introduces the content of the speech that follows.

Discourse Function: The verse serves as a formulaic introduction to a new revelation from the LORD.

Morphology

  1. Locutusque — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect deponent participle with enclitic conjunction -que; Function: part of the main verbal expression; Translation: “and having spoken”; Notes: combined with est, it forms the perfect tense of the deponent verb meaning “spoke.”
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary verb forming the perfect deponent construction; Translation: “spoke”; Notes: works with Locutusque to express a completed action.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, 2nd declension; Function: subject of the verb; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: refers to YHWH and is therefore translated as “LORD.”
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces the recipient of the speech; Translation: “to”; Notes: marks direction toward a person.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “Moyses”; Notes: recipient of the divine revelation.
  6. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: participial modifier introducing direct discourse; Translation: “saying”; Notes: announces the words that follow in the next verse.

 

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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