Numeri 31:7 (Numbers 31:7)

Posted on May 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 31:7 Cumque pugnassent contra Madianitas atque vicissent, omnes mares occiderunt,

And when they had fought against the Madianites and had prevailed, they killed every male,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 pugnassent had fought 3PL.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
3 contra against PREP+ACC
4 Madianitas the Midianites ACC.PL.M
5 atque and CONJ
6 vicissent had conquered 3PL.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
7 omnes all ACC.PL.M
8 mares males ACC.PL.M
9 occiderunt they killed 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

1. Temporal Subordinate Clause Introduced by cum
The sentence begins with Cumque, combining the subordinating conjunction cum (“when”) with the enclitic conjunction -que (“and”). This construction links the verse to the preceding narrative while introducing a temporal subordinate clause. The events described in the cum-clause establish the circumstances that precede the main action.

2. Pluperfect Subjunctive in the cum-Clause
Both pugnassent and vicissent are pluperfect active subjunctives. In historical narrative, cum commonly governs the subjunctive to provide background circumstances rather than simply marking time. The pluperfect tense presents both actions as completed before the action of the main clause: first the Israelites fought, then they gained victory.

3. Coordinated Verbs
The conjunction atque joins the two verbs pugnassent and vicissent. Rather than introducing a separate clause, it coordinates two closely related actions within the same subordinate clause. The order is logical: combat is followed by victory.

4. Prepositional Phrase
contra Madianitas modifies pugnassent. The preposition contra governs the accusative and expresses opposition or hostility. The phrase identifies the Midianites as the opponents in battle.

5. Main Clause
The principal clause is omnes mares occiderunt. Unlike the subordinate clause, it uses the indicative mood. The perfect indicative occiderunt narrates the principal historical event that followed the completed circumstances described by the cum-clause.

6. Direct Object
The adjective omnes modifies mares, agreeing in masculine gender, plural number, and accusative case. Together they form the direct object of occiderunt: “all the males.” The adjective is placed before the noun for emphasis, stressing the completeness of the action.

7. Sequence of Events
The syntax establishes a clear chronological progression. The subordinate clause supplies the completed background (“after they had fought and had conquered”), while the main clause reports the resulting action (“they killed all the males”). The movement from subordinate circumstances to the principal action is characteristic of historical Latin narrative.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + -que; Part of Speech: Subordinating conjunction with enclitic conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces the temporal subordinate clause while connecting it to the preceding narrative; Translation: “and when”; Notes: The enclitic -que joins this sentence closely to the previous verse.
  2. pugnassent — Lemma: pugno; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person plural pluperfect active subjunctive, first conjugation; Function: First verb of the cum-clause; Translation: “had fought”; Notes: The pluperfect subjunctive describes a completed background action preceding the main event.
  3. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Indeclinable preposition governing the accusative case; Function: Introduces the opponent in battle; Translation: “against”; Notes: Expresses opposition or hostile direction.
  4. Madianitas — Lemma: Madianita; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural masculine, first declension; Function: Object of contra; Translation: “the Madianites”; Notes: Identifies the nation against whom the battle was fought.
  5. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: Coordinating conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects the two verbs within the subordinate clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: Closely links the actions of fighting and conquering.
  6. vicissent — Lemma: vinco; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person plural pluperfect active subjunctive, third conjugation; Function: Second verb of the cum-clause; Translation: “had conquered”; Notes: Expresses the successful completion of the battle before the main action.
  7. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies mares; Translation: “all”; Notes: Emphasizes the totality of those killed.
  8. mares — Lemma: mas; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative plural masculine, third declension; Function: Direct object of occiderunt; Translation: “males”; Notes: Refers to all male Midianites.
  9. occiderunt — Lemma: occido; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third-person plural perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: Main verb of the principal clause; Translation: “they killed”; Notes: The perfect indicative narrates the principal completed historical action following the events of the cum-clause.

 

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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