Numeri 30:16 (Numbers 30:16)

Posted on May 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 30:16 sin autem contradixerit postquam rescivit, portabit ipse iniquitatem eius.

But if he objects after he has come to know of it, he himself shall bear her guilt.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sin but if CONJ
2 autem however CONJ
3 contradixerit he shall have objected 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
4 postquam after CONJ
5 rescivit he has come to know 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 portabit he shall bear 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
7 ipse he himself NOM.SG.M.DEM.PRON
8 iniquitatem guilt ACC.SG.F
9 eius her GEN.SG.F.PERS.PRON

Syntax

1. Conditional Construction
The sentence opens with sin autem (“but if, however”), introducing the final contrasting legal situation in this series of regulations. Unlike the previous verses, the husband does not object immediately after hearing the vow. Instead, his objection comes only after a period of silence, making it legally ineffective.

2. Conditional Clause
The verb contradixerit (“he shall have objected”) is a future perfect indicative. In Biblical legal style, the future perfect presents an action as completed before the consequence stated in the main clause. The implied subject is maritus (“the husband”), understood from the surrounding context.

3. Temporal Clause
postquam rescivit (“after he has come to know”) specifies the time of the husband’s objection. The conjunction postquam introduces a temporal clause, while the perfect indicative rescivit describes the completed act of becoming aware of the vow. The clause emphasizes that the husband already possessed the necessary knowledge before objecting.

4. Relationship between the Clauses
The temporal clause modifies contradixerit, explaining when the objection is made. Since the previous verse established that delaying judgment until the following day constitutes tacit approval, the objection described here comes too late to annul the vow. The syntax therefore reflects the legal logic: delayed objection no longer cancels the obligation.

5. Main Clause
The principal statement is ipse portabit iniquitatem eius. The verb portabit (“he shall bear”) expresses the legal consequence that follows the late objection. The emphatic pronoun ipse is placed before the object to stress personal responsibility: he himself, not the woman, becomes accountable.

6. Direct Object and Possessive Genitive
iniquitatem is the direct object of portabit. The genitive eius modifies iniquitatem, literally meaning “her guilt.” The sense is that the liability originally associated with the woman’s vow is transferred to the husband because he failed to object within the proper legal time.

7. Verb Tense Progression
The perfect rescivit denotes prior completed knowledge. The future perfect contradixerit presents the husband’s later objection as the completed condition. The future portabit states the resulting legal judgment. This sequence clearly distinguishes prior knowledge, subsequent action, and ultimate consequence.

Morphology

  1. sin — Lemma: sin; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable adversative conditional conjunction; Function: Introduces the contrasting conditional clause; Translation: “but if”; Notes: Contrasts this case with the husband’s earlier silence.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable postpositive conjunction; Function: Reinforces the contrast; Translation: “however”; Notes: Marks the final legal alternative.
  3. contradixerit — Lemma: contradico; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person singular future perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: Verb of the conditional clause; Translation: “he shall have objected”; Notes: Refers to an objection made only after the proper opportunity has passed.
  4. postquam — Lemma: postquam; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable temporal conjunction; Function: Introduces the temporal clause; Translation: “after”; Notes: Indicates that the following action occurs subsequently.
  5. rescivit — Lemma: rescisco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person singular perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: Verb of the temporal clause; Translation: “he has come to know”; Notes: Describes the completed acquisition of knowledge before the delayed objection.
  6. portabit — Lemma: porto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person singular future active indicative, first conjugation; Function: Main verb; Translation: “he shall bear”; Notes: Expresses the legal consequence imposed upon the husband.
  7. ipse — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: Intensive pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: Emphatic subject modifying the implied husband; Translation: “he himself”; Notes: Strongly emphasizes that the husband personally assumes the responsibility.
  8. iniquitatem — Lemma: iniquitas; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, third declension; Function: Direct object of portabit; Translation: “guilt”; Notes: Refers to the liability resulting from the delayed objection.
  9. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: Personal pronoun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: Possessive genitive modifying iniquitatem; Translation: “her”; Notes: Indicates that the guilt originally associated with the woman’s vow is now borne by the husband.

 

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.