Numeri 3:14 (Numbers 3:14)

Posted on April 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 3:14 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen in deserto Sinai, dicens:

And the LORD spoke to Moyses in the desert of Sinai, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutusque and having spoken NOM.SG.M.PTCP.PERF.DEP
2 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
6 in in PREP+ABL
7 deserto desert ABL.SG.N
8 Sinai Sinai INDECL
9 dicens saying NOM.SG.M.PTCP.PRES.ACT

Syntax

Main Clause: Dominus locutus est — subject (Dominus) + verb (locutus est) forming a perfect deponent construction

Enclitic Coordination: Locutusque — the enclitic -que connects this clause to the preceding narrative

Indirect Object Phrase: ad Moysen — prepositional phrase indicating recipient

Locative Phrase: in deserto Sinai — specifies place of action

Participial Clause: dicens — introduces the content of speech

Morphology

  1. Locutusque — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle deponent with enclitic conjunction; Function: predicate participle; Translation: and having spoken; Notes: the enclitic -que links this clause to prior context.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary; Translation: is; Notes: forms perfect tense with locutus.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: indicates direction.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: Moysen; Notes: recipient of speech.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: locative; Translation: in; Notes: indicates place.
  7. deserto — Lemma: desertum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: desert; Notes: location.
  8. Sinai — Lemma: Sinai; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: apposition; Translation: Sinai; Notes: specifies desert.
  9. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: circumstantial participle; Translation: saying; Notes: introduces direct speech.

 

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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