Numeri 9:17 (Numbers 9:17)

Posted on May 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

17 Cumque ablata fuisset nubes, quæ tabernaculum protegebat, tunc proficiscebantur filii Israel: et in loco ubi stetisset nubes, ibi castrametabantur.

And when the cloud which was covering the tabernacle had been taken away, then the sons of Israel would set out; and in the place where the cloud had stood, there they would encamp.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 ablata having been taken away NOM.SG.F.PERF.PASS.PTCP
3 fuisset had been 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
4 nubes cloud NOM.SG.F
5 quæ which NOM.SG.F.REL
6 tabernaculum tabernacle ACC.SG.N
7 protegebat was covering 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
8 tunc then ADV
9 proficiscebantur they would set out 3PL.IMP.DEP.IND
10 filii sons NOM.PL.M
11 Israel Israel INDECL
12 et and CONJ
13 in in PREP+ABL
14 loco place ABL.SG.M
15 ubi where ADV
16 stetisset had stood 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
17 nubes cloud NOM.SG.F
18 ibi there ADV
19 castrametabantur they would encamp 3PL.IMP.DEP.IND

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque ablata fuisset nubes — pluperfect subjunctive in a circumstantial clause, with nubes as subject.

Relative Clause: quæ tabernaculum protegebat — modifies nubes, describing its function.

Main Clause 1: tunc proficiscebantur filii Israel — filii Israel is subject, with deponent verb proficiscebantur.

Locative Clause: in loco ubi stetisset nubes — indicates place determined by the cloud’s position.

Main Clause 2: ibi castrametabantur — ibi emphasizes location, with deponent verb expressing action.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction with enclitic; Form: invariable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: and when; Notes: Combines temporal sense with narrative progression.
  2. ablata — Lemma: aufero; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular feminine perfect passive participle; Function: part of verb phrase; Translation: having been taken away; Notes: Agrees with nubes.
  3. fuisset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: auxiliary; Translation: had been; Notes: Forms pluperfect passive construction.
  4. nubes — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: cloud; Notes: Symbol of divine guidance.
  5. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of relative clause; Translation: which; Notes: Refers to nubes.
  6. tabernaculum — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: tabernacle; Notes: Sacred dwelling.
  7. protegebat — Lemma: protego; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: verb; Translation: was covering; Notes: Describes ongoing action.
  8. tunc — Lemma: tunc; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies verb; Translation: then; Notes: Marks sequence.
  9. proficiscebantur — Lemma: proficiscor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: third person plural imperfect indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they would set out; Notes: Repeated action in past.
  10. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject; Translation: sons; Notes: Collective group.
  11. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: Israel; Notes: Identifies group.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links clauses.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces location; Translation: in; Notes: Indicates place.
  14. loco — Lemma: locus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: place; Notes: Spatial reference.
  15. ubi — Lemma: ubi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces clause; Translation: where; Notes: Locative connector.
  16. stetisset — Lemma: sto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of clause; Translation: had stood; Notes: Completed prior position.
  17. nubes — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: cloud; Notes: Guide of movement.
  18. ibi — Lemma: ibi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies verb; Translation: there; Notes: Emphasizes location.
  19. castrametabantur — Lemma: castrametor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: third person plural imperfect indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they would encamp; Notes: Repeated action.

 

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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