Numeri 8:24 (Numbers 8:24)

Posted on May 5, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 8:24 Hæc est lex Levitarum, A viginti quinque annis et supra, ingredientur ut ministrent in tabernaculo fœderis.

This is the law of the Levites: From twenty-five years and above, they shall enter so that they may minister in the tabernacle of the covenant.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæc this NOM.SG.F.DEM
2 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 lex law NOM.SG.F
4 Levitarum of Levites GEN.PL.M
5 A from PREP+ABL
6 viginti twenty INDECL.NUM
7 quinque five INDECL.NUM
8 annis years ABL.PL.M
9 et and CONJ
10 supra above ADV
11 ingredientur they shall enter 3PL.FUT.DEP.IND
12 ut so that CONJ
13 ministrent they may minister 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
14 in in PREP+ABL
15 tabernaculo tabernacle ABL.SG.N
16 fœderis of the covenant GEN.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause: Hæc est lex Levitarum — equational clause with Hæc as subject and lex as predicate nominative, modified by Levitarum.

Prepositional Phrase: A viginti quinque annis et supra — indicates the starting age range, with annis as ablative of time and supra extending beyond that point.

Main Clause 2: ingredientur — future deponent verb expressing entry into service, with implied subject (the Levites).

Purpose Clause: ut ministrent — subjunctive clause indicating purpose of entry.

Locative Phrase: in tabernaculo fœderis — specifies the place of ministry.

Morphology

  1. Hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of the clause; Translation: this; Notes: Refers to the regulation being introduced.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: copulative verb; Translation: is; Notes: Links subject and predicate nominative.
  3. lex — Lemma: lex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: law; Notes: Denotes binding regulation or ordinance.
  4. Levitarum — Lemma: Levita; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: dependent genitive modifying lex; Translation: of Levites; Notes: Specifies the group to whom the law applies.
  5. A — Lemma: a; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces temporal starting point; Translation: from; Notes: Marks the minimum age threshold.
  6. viginti — Lemma: viginti; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: part of numerical expression; Translation: twenty; Notes: Combines with quinque to form compound number.
  7. quinque — Lemma: quinque; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: completes numerical expression; Translation: five; Notes: Together with viginti forms “twenty-five.”
  8. annis — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of A; Translation: years; Notes: Expresses age as a temporal measure.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links age expression with extension; Translation: and; Notes: Adds further specification.
  10. supra — Lemma: supra; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies age phrase; Translation: above; Notes: Extends eligibility beyond the minimum age.
  11. ingredientur — Lemma: ingredior; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: third person plural future indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they shall enter; Notes: Deponent form expresses active meaning with future force.
  12. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: Indicates intended function of entering.
  13. ministrent — Lemma: ministro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: they may minister; Notes: Expresses ongoing service activity.
  14. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: Indicates location of ministry.
  15. tabernaculo — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: tabernacle; Notes: Central place of divine service.
  16. fœderis — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies tabernaculo; Translation: of the covenant; Notes: Highlights covenantal context of worship.

 

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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