Numeri 3:1 (Numbers 3:1)

Posted on April 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 3:1 Hæ sunt generationes Aaron et Moysi in die qua locutus est Dominus ad Moysen in monte Sinai.

These are the generations of Aaron and of Moyses in the day when the LORD spoke to Moyses on Mount Sinai.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæ these NOM.PL.F
2 sunt are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
3 generationes generations NOM.PL.F
4 Aaron Aaron GEN.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 Moysi of Moyses GEN.SG.M
7 in in PREP+ABL
8 die day ABL.SG.M
9 qua when ABL.SG.F.REL
10 locutus having spoken NOM.SG.M.PTCP.PERF.PASS
11 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
12 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
13 ad to PREP+ACC
14 Moysen Moyses ACC.SG.M
15 in on PREP+ABL
16 monte mount ABL.SG.M
17 Sinai Sinai INDECL

Syntax

Main Clause: Hæ (subject) + sunt (copulative verb) + generationes Aaron et Moysi (predicate nominative with genitive specification)

Temporal Phrase: in die — ablative of time when

Relative Clause: qua locutus est Dominus — temporal relative clause modifying die

Indirect Object Phrase: ad Moysen — prepositional phrase indicating direction toward the recipient

Locative Phrase: in monte Sinai — prepositional phrase indicating location

Morphology

  1. Hæ — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of the main clause; Translation: these; Notes: agrees with generationes in gender, number, and case.
  2. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active indicative; Function: copulative verb linking subject and predicate; Translation: are; Notes: introduces an equative clause.
  3. generationes — Lemma: generatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine 3rd declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: generations; Notes: denotes lineage or historical record.
  4. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession modifying generationes; Translation: of Aaron; Notes: indeclinable Hebrew name adapted with genitive sense.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinating conjunction; Translation: and; Notes: links two genitive nouns.
  6. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession modifying generationes; Translation: of Moysen; Notes: Latinized form of the Hebrew name.
  7. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces temporal phrase; Translation: in; Notes: expresses time when with ablative.
  8. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine 5th declension; Function: object of preposition; Translation: day; Notes: denotes a specific point in time.
  9. qua — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: when; Notes: agrees with die and functions adverbially.
  10. locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle deponent; Function: part of periphrastic perfect; Translation: having spoken; Notes: deponent verb with active meaning despite passive form.
  11. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary forming perfect tense; Translation: is; Notes: combines with locutus to form perfect tense “has spoken.”
  12. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine 2nd declension; Function: subject of relative clause; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH in this context.
  13. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: indicates direction toward a person.
  14. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: Moysen; Notes: direct recipient of speech.
  15. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces location; Translation: on; Notes: expresses static location.
  16. monte — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine 3rd declension; Function: object of preposition; Translation: mount; Notes: location of divine speech.
  17. Sinai — Lemma: Sinai; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: apposition to monte; Translation: Sinai; Notes: identifies the specific mountain.

 

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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