Numeri 9:16 (Numbers 9:16)

Posted on May 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 9:16 sic fiebat iugiter: per diem operiebat illud nubes, et per noctem quasi species ignis.

Thus it was done continually; by day a cloud covered it, and by night as it were the appearance of fire.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sic thus ADV
2 fiebat it was done 3SG.IMP.PASS.IND
3 iugiter continually ADV
4 per through PREP+ACC
5 diem day ACC.SG.M
6 operiebat covered 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
7 illud it ACC.SG.N.DEM
8 nubes cloud NOM.SG.F
9 et and CONJ
10 per through PREP+ACC
11 noctem night ACC.SG.F
12 quasi as if ADV
13 species appearance NOM.SG.F
14 ignis of fire GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: sic fiebat iugiter — impersonal passive construction describing continuous action, with iugiter indicating duration.

Temporal Phrase: per diem — accusative of duration indicating time during the day.

Main Clause 2: operiebat illud nubes — nubes is subject, operiebat verb, illud object.

Temporal Phrase: per noctem — indicates time during the night.

Elliptical Clause: quasi species ignis — implied verb “erat,” expressing appearance.

Morphology

  1. sic — Lemma: sic; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies verb; Translation: thus; Notes: Refers to previously described manner.
  2. fiebat — Lemma: fio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect passive indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: it was done; Notes: Describes ongoing repeated action.
  3. iugiter — Lemma: iugiter; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies fiebat; Translation: continually; Notes: Emphasizes uninterrupted repetition.
  4. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces duration; Translation: through; Notes: Indicates duration of time.
  5. diem — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: day; Notes: Duration expression.
  6. operiebat — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: covered; Notes: Continuous action in past.
  7. illud — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: it; Notes: Refers to tabernacle.
  8. nubes — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: cloud; Notes: Symbol of divine presence.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links clauses.
  10. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces duration; Translation: through; Notes: Indicates duration of night.
  11. noctem — Lemma: nox; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of per; Translation: night; Notes: Duration expression.
  12. quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: as if; Notes: Indicates resemblance.
  13. species — Lemma: species; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: appearance; Notes: Visible manifestation.
  14. ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies species; Translation: of fire; Notes: Describes nature of appearance.

 

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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