Numeri 27:6 (Numbers 27:6)

Posted on May 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 27:6 Iustam rem postulant filiæ Salphaad: da eis possessionem inter cognatos patris sui, et ei in hereditatem succedant.

“The daughters of Salphaad are requesting a just matter; give to them a possession among the kinsmen of their father, and let them succeed to his inheritance.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Iustam just ACC.SG.F
2 rem matter ACC.SG.F
3 postulant they request 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
4 filiæ daughters NOM.PL.F
5 Salphaad Zelophehad INDECL
6 da give 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
7 eis to them DAT.PL.F
8 possessionem possession ACC.SG.F
9 inter among PREP+ACC
10 cognatos kinsmen ACC.PL.M
11 patris of father GEN.SG.M
12 sui their own REFL.GEN.SG.M
13 et and CONJ
14 ei to him DAT.SG.M
15 in in PREP+ACC
16 hereditatem inheritance ACC.SG.F
17 succedant let them succeed 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Main Clause: filiæ Salphaad postulant — filiæ is the subject, postulant is the main verb, and Iustam rem is the direct object.

Object Phrase: Iustam rem — adjective and noun combination meaning “a just matter” or “a rightful claim.”

Imperative Clause: da eis possessionem — direct command with possessionem as the direct object and eis as the indirect object.

Prepositional Phrase: inter cognatos patris sui — specifies where the possession is to be granted, namely among the father’s kinsmen.

Jussive Subjunctive Clause: et ei in hereditatem succedant — expresses the LORD’s command that the daughters become successors in inheritance.

Dative Phrase: ei identifies Salphaad as the person whose inheritance is to be succeeded to.

Morphology

  1. Iustam — Lemma: iustus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine Positive Degree; Function: Modifies rem; Translation: “just”; Notes: Describes the claim as fair, lawful, and righteous.
  2. rem — Lemma: res; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of postulant; Translation: “matter”; Notes: Refers to the legal case brought before the LORD.
  3. postulant — Lemma: postulo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Indicative 3rd Person Plural; Function: Main verb; Translation: “they request”; Notes: Indicates an ongoing or present legal petition.
  4. filiæ — Lemma: filia; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative Plural Feminine; Function: Subject of postulant; Translation: “daughters”; Notes: Refers to the daughters of Salphaad making the petition.
  5. Salphaad — Lemma: Salphaad; Part of Speech: Proper Noun; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Genitive relationship reference; Translation: “Salphaad”; Notes: Personal name of the deceased father whose inheritance is in question.
  6. da — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Imperative 2nd Person Singular; Function: Main imperative verb; Translation: “give”; Notes: Direct divine command to grant the requested inheritance.
  7. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: Personal Pronoun; Form: Dative Plural Feminine; Function: Indirect object of da; Translation: “to them”; Notes: Refers to the daughters as recipients of the inheritance.
  8. possessionem — Lemma: possessio; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Direct object of da; Translation: “possession”; Notes: Refers to a hereditary property share.
  9. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative; Function: Introduces the group within which the inheritance is granted; Translation: “among”; Notes: Places the inheritance within the father’s kinship group.
  10. cognatos — Lemma: cognatus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Object of inter; Translation: “kinsmen”; Notes: Refers to relatives belonging to the paternal clan.
  11. patris — Lemma: pater; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Genitive modifying cognatos; Translation: “of father”; Notes: Identifies the kinsmen as belonging to the daughters’ father.
  12. sui — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Reflexive Possessive Pronoun; Form: Genitive Singular Masculine; Function: Modifies patris; Translation: “their own”; Notes: Reflexively refers back to the daughters.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects the two commands; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins the grant of property with succession rights.
  14. ei — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: Personal Pronoun; Form: Dative Singular Masculine; Function: Dative of reference with succedant; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Salphaad, whose inheritance line is being continued.
  15. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative; Function: Introduces the sphere of succession; Translation: “into”; Notes: Indicates entry into the legal status of heirship.
  16. hereditatem — Lemma: hereditas; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Feminine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “inheritance”; Notes: Refers to the hereditary estate or legal inheritance.
  17. succedant — Lemma: succedo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present Active Subjunctive 3rd Person Plural; Function: Jussive subjunctive expressing command; Translation: “let them succeed”; Notes: Commands that the daughters legally take the place of their father in inheritance rights.

 

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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