Numeri 31:41 (Numbers 31:41)

Posted on May 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 31:41 Tradiditque Moyses numerum primitiarum Domini Eleazaro sacerdoti, sicut fuerat ei imperatum,

And Moyses delivered the number of the LORD’s firstfruits to Eleazar the priest, just as it had been commanded to him,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Tradiditque and delivered 3SG.PERF.IND.ACT+ENCL
2 Moyses Moses NOM.SG.M
3 numerum number ACC.SG.M
4 primitiarum of the firstfruits GEN.PL.F
5 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
6 Eleazaro to Eleazar DAT.SG.M
7 sacerdoti the priest DAT.SG.M
8 sicut just as CONJ
9 fuerat had been 3SG.PLUPERF.IND.ACT
10 ei to him DAT.SG
11 imperatum commanded NOM.SG.N.PPP

Syntax

The principal clause is Tradiditque Moyses numerum primitiarum Domini Eleazaro sacerdoti. The perfect active verb Tradiditque (“and delivered”) begins the sentence, with the enclitic -que linking it to the preceding narrative. Moyses is the nominative singular subject. The direct object is numerum, modified by the double genitive primitiarum Domini, meaning “the number of the LORD’s firstfruits” or “the tally of the LORD’s tribute.”

Eleazaro sacerdoti is a double dative functioning as the indirect object, identifying the recipient of what Moyses delivered. Sacerdoti stands in apposition to Eleazaro, identifying Eleazar by his office as priest.

The subordinate clause sicut fuerat ei imperatum is introduced by sicut (“just as”). It expresses comparison with what had previously been commanded. The pluperfect verb fuerat, together with the perfect passive participle imperatum, forms a pluperfect passive construction meaning “had been commanded.” The dative pronoun ei identifies the person to whom the command had been given, namely Moses.

The verse records Moses’ faithful execution of the LORD’s instructions by formally handing over the sacred tribute to Eleazar the priest exactly as previously commanded.

Morphology

  1. Tradiditque — Lemma: trado, tradere, tradidi, traditum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person singular perfect indicative active with enclitic -que; Parsing: Main verb of the sentence; Translation: “and delivered”; Notes: The enclitic connects this action with the preceding narrative.
  2. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Parsing: Subject of Tradiditque; Translation: “Moyses”; Notes: The leader of Israel.
  3. numerum — Lemma: numerus, numeri; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, second declension; Parsing: Direct object of Tradiditque; Translation: “number”; Notes: Refers to the recorded total of the LORD’s tribute.
  4. primitiarum — Lemma: primitiæ, primitiarum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive plural feminine, first declension; Parsing: Dependent genitive modifying numerum; Translation: “of the firstfruits”; Notes: Refers to the LORD’s consecrated portion of the spoil.
  5. Domini — Lemma: Dominus, Domini; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular masculine, second declension; Parsing: Possessive genitive modifying primitiarum; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: Identifies to whom the firstfruits belonged.
  6. Eleazaro — Lemma: Eleazar; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Parsing: Indirect object of Tradiditque; Translation: “to Eleazar”; Notes: Recipient of the LORD’s tribute.
  7. sacerdoti — Lemma: sacerdos, sacerdotis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: dative singular masculine, third declension; Parsing: Apposition to Eleazaro; Translation: “the priest”; Notes: Specifies Eleazar’s office.
  8. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Parsing: Introduces the comparative subordinate clause; Translation: “just as”; Notes: Expresses conformity with the earlier command.
  9. fuerat — Lemma: sum, esse, fui; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person singular pluperfect indicative active; Parsing: Auxiliary verb of the pluperfect passive; Translation: “had been”; Notes: Combines with imperatum.
  10. ei — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: dative singular; Parsing: Indirect object of imperatum; Translation: “to him”; Notes: Refers to Moses, who had received the command.
  11. imperatum — Lemma: impero, imperare, imperavi, imperatum; Part of Speech: Perfect passive participle; Form: nominative singular neuter; Parsing: Predicate participle in the impersonal passive construction fuerat imperatum; Translation: “commanded”; Notes: An impersonal passive meaning “it had been commanded.”

 

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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