Numeri 8:16 (Numbers 8:16)

Posted on May 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 8:16 Pro primogenitis quæ aperiunt omnem vulvam in Israel, accepi eos.

In place of the firstborn who open every womb in Israel, I have taken them.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Pro in place of PREP+ABL
2 primogenitis firstborn ABL.PL.M
3 quæ who NOM.PL.N REL
4 aperiunt open 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
5 omnem every ACC.SG.F
6 vulvam womb ACC.SG.F
7 in in PREP+ABL
8 Israel Israel ABL.SG INDECL
9 accepi I have taken 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 eos them ACC.PL.M

Syntax

Prepositional Phrase: Pro primogenitis — expresses substitution, indicating the Levites replace the firstborn.

Relative Clause: quæ aperiunt omnem vulvam — defines the firstborn as those who open the womb.

Main Clause: accepi eos — perfect verb indicating completed divine action.

Morphology

  1. Pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: substitution; Translation: in place of; Notes: Replacement concept.
  2. primogenitis — Lemma: primogenitus; Part of Speech: adjective/noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of preposition; Translation: firstborn; Notes: Designated group.
  3. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: introduces clause; Translation: who; Notes: Refers to firstborn.
  4. aperiunt — Lemma: aperio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active indicative; Function: verb; Translation: open; Notes: Characteristic action.
  5. omnem — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies vulvam; Translation: every; Notes: Totality.
  6. vulvam — Lemma: vulva; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object; Translation: womb; Notes: Biological term.
  7. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: location; Translation: in; Notes: Context.
  8. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: ablative singular indeclinable; Function: object of preposition; Translation: Israel; Notes: Nation.
  9. accepi — Lemma: accipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: I have taken; Notes: Divine action.
  10. eos — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: them; Notes: Refers to Levites.

 

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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