Numeri 5:8 (Numbers 5:8)

Posted on May 2, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 5:8 Sin autem non fuerit qui recipiat, dabunt Domino, et erit sacerdotis, excepto ariete, qui offertur pro expiatione, ut sit placabilis hostia.

But if there shall not be one who receives it, they shall give to the LORD, and it shall be of the priest, except for the ram, which is offered for expiation, so that it may be a propitiatory offering.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sin but if CONJ
2 autem however CONJ
3 non not ADV
4 fuerit there shall have been 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
5 qui who NOM.SG.M.REL
6 recipiat receives 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
7 dabunt they shall give 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND
8 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
9 et and CONJ
10 erit it shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
11 sacerdotis of the priest GEN.SG.M
12 excepto except PTCP.PERF.ABL.SG.M
13 ariete ram ABL.SG.M
14 qui which NOM.SG.M.REL
15 offertur is offered 3SG.PRES.PASS.IND
16 pro for PREP+ABL
17 expiatione expiation ABL.SG.F
18 ut so that CONJ
19 sit it may be 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
20 placabilis propitiatory NOM.SG.F
21 hostia offering NOM.SG.F

Syntax

Conditional Clause: Sin autem non fuerit qui recipiat introduces the condition. fuerit serves as the verb, with qui recipiat forming a relative clause describing the absent recipient.

Main Clause: dabunt Domino is the primary action, with an implied plural subject and Domino as the indirect object.

Second Clause: et erit sacerdotis expresses possession, indicating that the offering belongs to the priest.

Ablative Absolute: excepto ariete forms an ablative absolute, indicating an exception.

Relative Clause: qui offertur pro expiatione modifies ariete, describing its sacrificial function.

Purpose Clause: ut sit placabilis hostia expresses the purpose of the offering, with sit in the subjunctive.

Morphology

  1. Sin — Lemma: sin; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces conditional clause; Translation: but if; Notes: often used to contrast with a previous condition.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connective particle; Translation: however; Notes: adds mild contrast or continuation.
  3. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates fuerit; Translation: not; Notes: standard negation in Latin.
  4. fuerit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: verb of conditional clause; Translation: there shall have been; Notes: expresses a completed future condition.
  5. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of recipiat; Translation: who; Notes: refers to a potential recipient.
  6. recipiat — Lemma: recipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: receives; Notes: subjunctive used in a characteristic clause.
  7. dabunt — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they shall give; Notes: expresses obligation or future action.
  8. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine, 2nd declension; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH, thus capitalized.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  10. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: verb of second clause; Translation: it shall be; Notes: indicates future possession.
  11. sacerdotis — Lemma: sacerdos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: predicate genitive; Translation: of the priest; Notes: expresses ownership or assignment.
  12. excepto — Lemma: excipio; Part of Speech: verb (participle); Form: perfect participle ablative singular masculine; Function: part of ablative absolute; Translation: except; Notes: indicates exclusion.
  13. ariete — Lemma: aries; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: completes ablative absolute; Translation: ram; Notes: sacrificial animal specified.
  14. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of offertur; Translation: which; Notes: refers back to ariete.
  15. offertur — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present passive indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: is offered; Notes: passive voice emphasizes the sacrificial act.
  16. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: takes the ablative; Function: introduces purpose or substitution; Translation: for; Notes: common in sacrificial contexts.
  17. expiatione — Lemma: expiatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, 3rd declension; Function: object of pro; Translation: expiation; Notes: refers to atonement or purification.
  18. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive verb.
  19. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: it may be; Notes: expresses intended result.
  20. placabilis — Lemma: placabilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: modifies hostia; Translation: propitiatory; Notes: indicates appeasement of divine wrath.
  21. hostia — Lemma: hostia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: offering; Notes: refers to sacrificial victim.

 

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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