Numeri 6:3 (Numbers 6:3)

Posted on May 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 6:3 a vino, et omni, quod inebriare potest, abstinebunt. Acetum ex vino, et ex qualibet alia potione, et quidquid de uva exprimitur, non bibent: uvas recentes siccasque non comedent

from wine, and from everything, that can intoxicate, they shall abstain. Vinegar from wine, and from any other drink, and whatever is pressed from the grape, they shall not drink; fresh and dried grapes they shall not eat

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 a from PREP+ABL
2 vino wine ABL.SG.N
3 et and CONJ
4 omni every ABL.SG.N
5 quod which NOM.SG.N REL
6 inebriare to intoxicate PRES.ACT.INF
7 potest is able 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
8 abstinebunt they shall abstain 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND
9 Acetum vinegar ACC.SG.N
10 ex from PREP+ABL
11 vino wine ABL.SG.N
12 et and CONJ
13 ex from PREP+ABL
14 qualibet any ABL.SG.F INDEF
15 alia other ABL.SG.F
16 potione drink ABL.SG.F
17 et and CONJ
18 quidquid whatever NOM.SG.N INDEF
19 de from PREP+ABL
20 uva grape ABL.SG.F
21 exprimitur is pressed out 3SG.PRES.PASS.IND
22 non not ADV
23 bibent they shall drink 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND
24 uvas grapes ACC.PL.F
25 recentes fresh ACC.PL.F
26 siccasque and dried ACC.PL.F
27 non not ADV
28 comedent they shall eat 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause 1: abstinebunt is the main verb with implied subject “they.” a vino et omni quod inebriare potest forms a compound prepositional phrase indicating separation.

Relative Clause: quod inebriare potest modifies omni, describing anything capable of intoxication.

Main Clause 2: Acetum… non bibent — Acetum is the object, bibent is the verb, and non negates the action.

Compound Phrase: ex vino et ex qualibet alia potione specifies sources of the vinegar.

Relative Construction: quidquid de uva exprimitur functions as an additional object, expanding prohibition to all grape derivatives.

Main Clause 3: uvas recentes siccasque non comedent — uvas is the object modified by recentes and siccasque, with comedent as the verb.

Morphology

  1. a — Lemma: a; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: expresses separation; Translation: from; Notes: Indicates abstention away from something.
  2. vino — Lemma: vinum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: wine; Notes: Refers to fermented drink.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links items; Translation: and; Notes: Connects prohibitions.
  4. omni — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies implied noun; Translation: every; Notes: Broadens scope.
  5. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of relative clause; Translation: which; Notes: Refers back to “everything.”
  6. inebriare — Lemma: inebrio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: to intoxicate; Notes: Expresses capability.
  7. potest — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: is able; Notes: Governs infinitive.
  8. abstinebunt — Lemma: abstineo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they shall abstain; Notes: Indicates future command.
  9. Acetum — Lemma: acetum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: vinegar; Notes: Sour derivative of wine.
  10. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: expresses source; Translation: from; Notes: Indicates origin.
  11. vino — Lemma: vinum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of preposition; Translation: wine; Notes: Same root source.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links phrases; Translation: and; Notes: Continues list.
  13. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces source; Translation: from; Notes: Repetition for emphasis.
  14. qualibet — Lemma: quilibet; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies noun; Translation: any; Notes: Indefinite breadth.
  15. alia — Lemma: alius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies noun; Translation: other; Notes: Distinguishes from wine.
  16. potione — Lemma: potio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: drink; Notes: General beverage term.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Adds restriction.
  18. quidquid — Lemma: quidquid; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter indefinite; Function: subject of clause; Translation: whatever; Notes: Emphasizes total inclusion.
  19. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: indicates source; Translation: from; Notes: Used for extraction.
  20. uva — Lemma: uva; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: grape; Notes: Fruit source.
  21. exprimitur — Lemma: exprimo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present passive indicative; Function: verb of clause; Translation: is pressed out; Notes: Describes extraction process.
  22. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates verb; Translation: not; Notes: Standard negation.
  23. bibent — Lemma: bibo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they shall drink; Notes: Prohibition.
  24. uvas — Lemma: uva; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of verb; Translation: grapes; Notes: Direct consumption form.
  25. recentes — Lemma: recens; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies noun; Translation: fresh; Notes: Unprocessed grapes.
  26. siccasque — Lemma: siccus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine with enclitic conjunction; Function: modifies noun and connects; Translation: and dried; Notes: Includes raisins.
  27. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates verb; Translation: not; Notes: Reinforces prohibition.
  28. comedent — Lemma: comedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they shall eat; Notes: Completes dietary restriction.

 

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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