Numeri 9:20 (Numbers 9:20)

Posted on May 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 9:20 quot diebus fuisset nubes super tabernaculum. Ad imperium Domini erigebant tentoria, et ad imperium illius deponebant.

as many days as the cloud had been over the tabernacle. At the command of the LORD they would set up the tents, and at His command they would take them down.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 quot as many INDECL
2 diebus days ABL.PL.M
3 fuisset had been 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
4 nubes cloud NOM.SG.F
5 super over PREP+ACC
6 tabernaculum tabernacle ACC.SG.N
7 Ad at PREP+ACC
8 imperium command ACC.SG.N
9 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
10 erigebant they would set up 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND
11 tentoria tents ACC.PL.N
12 et and CONJ
13 ad at PREP+ACC
14 imperium command ACC.SG.N
15 illius of Him GEN.SG.M.DEM
16 deponebant they would take down 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND

Syntax

Temporal Clause: quot diebus fuisset nubes super tabernaculum — ablative of duration with quot expressing extent, and fuisset forming a pluperfect subjunctive construction.

Main Clause 1: Ad imperium Domini erigebant tentoria — erigebant governs tentoria, with Ad imperium Domini expressing authority.

Main Clause 2: et ad imperium illius deponebant — coordinated clause with deponebant as verb.

Morphology

  1. quot — Lemma: quot; Part of Speech: interrogative/relative adjective; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies diebus; Translation: as many; Notes: Expresses quantity and duration.
  2. diebus — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: ablative of time; Translation: days; Notes: Duration of event.
  3. fuisset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of clause; Translation: had been; Notes: Indicates completed prior state.
  4. nubes — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: cloud; Notes: Symbol of divine guidance.
  5. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces location; Translation: over; Notes: Indicates position.
  6. tabernaculum — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of super; Translation: tabernacle; Notes: Sacred dwelling.
  7. Ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces standard; Translation: at; Notes: Indicates authority.
  8. imperium — Lemma: imperium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of ad; Translation: command; Notes: Refers to divine directive.
  9. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies imperium; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  10. erigebant — Lemma: erigo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they would set up; Notes: Repeated action.
  11. tentoria — Lemma: tentorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: tents; Notes: Plural encampment structures.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links clauses.
  13. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces standard; Translation: at; Notes: Indicates authority again.
  14. imperium — Lemma: imperium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of ad; Translation: command; Notes: Repetition emphasizes obedience.
  15. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies imperium; Translation: of Him; Notes: Refers to the LORD.
  16. deponebant — Lemma: depono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they would take down; Notes: Opposite action to erigebant.

 

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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