Numeri 4:37 (Numbers 4:37)

Posted on May 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 4:37 Hic est numerus populi Caath qui intrant tabernaculum fœderis: hos numeravit Moyses et Aaron iuxta sermonem Domini per manum Moysi.

This is the number of the people of Caath who enter the tabernacle of the covenant: these Moyses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moyses.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hic this NOM.SG.M
2 est is 3.SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 numerus number NOM.SG.M
4 populi of the people GEN.SG.M
5 Caath Kohath INDECL
6 qui who REL.NOM.PL.M
7 intrant enter 3.PL.PRES.ACT.IND
8 tabernaculum tabernacle ACC.SG.N
9 fœderis of the covenant GEN.SG.N
10 hos these ACC.PL.M
11 numeravit numbered 3.SG.PERF.ACT.IND
12 Moyses Moses NOM.SG.M
13 et and CONJ
14 Aaron Aaron NOM.SG.M
15 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
16 sermonem word ACC.SG.M
17 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
18 per by PREP+ACC
19 manum hand ACC.SG.F
20 Moysi of Moses GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Hic est numerus populi Caath — Hic is the subject, numerus is the predicate nominative, and populi Caath is a genitive phrase specifying whose number.

Relative Clause: qui intrant tabernaculum fœderis — modifies populi Caath, with intrant as the verb and tabernaculum fœderis as the object.

Main Clause 2: hos numeravit Moyses et Aaron — hos is the object, and Moyses et Aaron form the compound subject.

Prepositional Phrase: iuxta sermonem Domini — expresses conformity to divine command.

Prepositional Phrase: per manum Moysi — indicates agency or mediation.

Clause Function: The sentence identifies the counted group and affirms that the census was conducted according to divine instruction.

Morphology

  1. Hic — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “this”; Notes: Introduces statement of result.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, third person singular; Function: copula; Translation: “is”; Notes: Links subject and predicate.
  3. numerus — Lemma: numerus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “number”; Notes: Census total.
  4. populi — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: “of the people”; Notes: Group identified.
  5. Caath — Lemma: Caath; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: genitive relation; Translation: “Caath”; Notes: Kohathite clan.
  6. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of clause; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers to group.
  7. intrant — Lemma: intro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, third person plural; Function: verb; Translation: “enter”; Notes: Ongoing action.
  8. tabernaculum — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object; Translation: “tabernacle”; Notes: Sacred structure.
  9. fœderis — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of the covenant”; Notes: Specifies sacred context.
  10. hos — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “these”; Notes: Refers to counted individuals.
  11. numeravit — Lemma: numero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “numbered”; Notes: Completed action.
  12. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Moyses”; Notes: Leader of Israel.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects subjects.
  14. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Aaron”; Notes: High priest.
  15. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses conformity; Translation: “according to”; Notes: Indicates standard.
  16. sermonem — Lemma: sermo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: “word”; Notes: Command or instruction.
  17. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  18. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses agency; Translation: “by”; Notes: Indicates means.
  19. manum — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of per; Translation: “hand”; Notes: Instrumental expression.
  20. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifier; Translation: “of Moyses”; Notes: Indicates mediation.

 

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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