Numeri 3:7 (Numbers 3:7)

Posted on April 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 3:7 et observent quidquid ad cultum pertinet multitudinis coram tabernaculo testimonii,

and they shall observe whatever pertains to the service of the multitude before the tabernacle of testimony,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 observent they may observe 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
3 quidquid whatever ACC.SG.N.REL
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 cultum service ACC.SG.M
6 pertinet pertains 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 multitudinis of multitude GEN.SG.F
8 coram before PREP+ABL
9 tabernaculo tabernacle ABL.SG.N
10 testimonii of testimony GEN.SG.N

Syntax

Coordinated Clause: et observent — continuation of prior purpose clause with subjunctive verb

Object Clause: quidquid ad cultum pertinet — free relative clause functioning as direct object

Prepositional Phrase: ad cultum — expresses relation to service or ritual function

Genitive Phrase: multitudinis — dependent genitive specifying whose service

Locative Phrase: coram tabernaculo testimonii — indicates position before the sacred structure

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinating conjunction; Translation: and; Notes: continues the purpose sequence from the previous clause.
  2. observent — Lemma: observo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active subjunctive 1st conjugation; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: they may observe; Notes: expresses intended duty or responsibility.
  3. quidquid — Lemma: quisquis; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of observent; Translation: whatever; Notes: introduces a generalizing free relative clause.
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces relation; Translation: to; Notes: expresses direction toward purpose.
  5. cultum — Lemma: cultus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine 4th declension; Function: object of preposition; Translation: service; Notes: refers to ritual or sacred service.
  6. pertinet — Lemma: pertineo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active indicative 2nd conjugation; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: pertains; Notes: expresses belonging or relevance.
  7. multitudinis — Lemma: multitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of multitude; Notes: identifies the community involved.
  8. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces locative relation; Translation: before; Notes: indicates presence in front of something.
  9. tabernaculo — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: object of preposition; Translation: tabernacle; Notes: sacred dwelling place.
  10. testimonii — Lemma: testimonium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of testimony; Notes: specifies the covenantal function of the tabernacle.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Numeri. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.