Numeri 26:53 (Numbers 26:53)

Posted on May 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 26:53 Istis dividetur terra iuxta numerum vocabulorum in possessiones suas.

To these the land shall be divided according to the number of names as their possessions.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Istis to these DAT.PL.M.DEM
2 dividetur shall be divided 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND
3 terra land NOM.SG.F
4 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
5 numerum number ACC.SG.M
6 vocabulorum of names GEN.PL.N
7 in into PREP+ACC
8 possessiones possessions ACC.PL.F
9 suas their ACC.PL.F.POSS

Syntax

Main Clause: Istis dividetur terra states that the land will be apportioned among those who have been counted.

Indirect Object: Istis functions as the dative recipient of the division.

Subject: terra functions as the subject of the passive verb dividetur.

Verb: dividetur expresses a future distribution of the land.

Prepositional Phrase: iuxta numerum vocabulorum indicates the basis upon which the distribution will occur, namely the number of registered names.

Purpose/Result Phrase: in possessiones suas expresses the outcome of the division, namely individual inheritances.

Clause Function: The verse introduces the principle governing the allotment of the Promised Land among the tribes.

Morphology

  1. Istis — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: indirect object of dividetur; Translation: “to these”; Notes: refers to the Israelites counted in the census.
  2. dividetur — Lemma: divido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future passive indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “shall be divided”; Notes: foretells the future allocation of the land.
  3. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: subject of dividetur; Translation: “land”; Notes: refers to the land promised to Israel.
  4. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces the standard of measurement; Translation: “according to”; Notes: indicates proportional distribution.
  5. numerum — Lemma: numerus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, 2nd declension; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: “number”; Notes: refers to the census count.
  6. vocabulorum — Lemma: vocabulum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter, 2nd declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying numerum; Translation: “of names”; Notes: refers to the registered individuals or family names counted in the census.
  7. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces the result of the division; Translation: “into”; Notes: indicates transformation into allotted inheritances.
  8. possessiones — Lemma: possessio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine, 3rd declension; Function: object of in; Translation: “possessions”; Notes: refers to hereditary allotments of land.
  9. suas — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies possessiones; Translation: “their”; Notes: indicates that each inheritance belongs to its respective recipients.

 

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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