Numeri 31:1 (Numbers 31:1)

Posted on May 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 31:1 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

And the LORD spoke to Moyses, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutusque and having spoken NOM.SG.M.PERF.DEP.PTCP+CONJ
2 est has 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
6 dicens saying NOM.SG.M.PRES.ACT.PTCP

Syntax

1. Main Clause
The principal statement is Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen. This is the standard Biblical Latin formula introducing a new divine revelation. The subject is Dominus, while the verbal idea is expressed by the compound perfect tense Locutus est, literally “has spoken” or “spoke.”

2. Periphrastic Perfect with a Deponent Verb
The verb loquor is deponent, meaning it has passive forms but active meaning. Consequently, its perfect tense is formed with the perfect participle locutus together with the auxiliary est. Although locutus has passive morphology, the entire expression means “spoke” rather than “was spoken.”

3. Enclitic Conjunction
The ending -que attached to Locutus is the enclitic conjunction meaning “and.” Rather than standing as a separate word like et, it is attached directly to the first word of the clause and links this statement to the preceding narrative.

4. Prepositional Phrase
The phrase ad Moysen functions as the complement of locutus est. The preposition ad governs the accusative case and indicates the person to whom the LORD directs His speech.

5. Circumstantial Participle
The present participle dicens (“saying”) modifies Dominus. It introduces the direct speech that follows in the next verse. As a present active participle, it expresses an action occurring simultaneously with the speaking: the LORD spoke while saying the words that follow.

6. Overall Structure
The verse consists of a concise narrative formula: a main clause introducing the divine speaker, followed by a participial expression that prepares the reader for the ensuing quotation. This construction appears repeatedly throughout the Pentateuch and serves as a formal transition into a new divine command or revelation.

Morphology

  1. Locutusque — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: Deponent verb (perfect participle with enclitic conjunction); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect deponent participle + enclitic -que; Function: Forms the compound perfect tense with est; Translation: “and having spoken”; Notes: Together with est, it means “spoke.” The attached -que means “and.”
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person singular present active indicative; Function: Auxiliary verb forming the perfect tense of the deponent loquor; Translation: “has”; Notes: Combines with Locutus to produce the meaning “spoke.”
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Subject of Locutus est; Translation: “LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as the speaker.
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative case; Function: Governs the accusative; Translation: “to”; Notes: Indicates the direction of the LORD’s speech.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: Object of ad; Translation: “Moyses”; Notes: Identifies the recipient of the divine revelation.
  6. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: Present active participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle, third conjugation; Function: Circumstantial participle modifying Dominus; Translation: “saying”; Notes: Introduces the direct speech that immediately follows.

 

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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