Numeri 18:17 (Numbers 18:17)

Posted on May 15, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 18:17 Primogenitum autem bovis et ovis et capræ non facies redimi, quia sanctificata sunt Domino. sanguinem tantum eorum fundes super altare, et adipes adolebis in suavissimum odorem Domino.

But the firstborn of an ox and of a sheep and of a goat you shall not cause to be redeemed, because they have been sanctified to the LORD. Only their blood you shall pour upon the altar, and the fats you shall burn for a most sweet odor to the LORD.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Primogenitum firstborn ACC.SG.N
2 autem but CONJ
3 bovis of ox GEN.SG.M
4 et and CONJ
5 ovis of sheep GEN.SG.F
6 et and CONJ
7 capræ of goat GEN.SG.F
8 non not ADV
9 facies you shall cause 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
10 redimi to be redeemed PRES.PASS.INF
11 quia because CONJ
12 sanctificata sanctified PTCP.NOM.PL.N.PERF.PASS
13 sunt they are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
14 Domino to LORD DAT.SG.M
15 sanguinem blood ACC.SG.M
16 tantum only ADV
17 eorum their GEN.PL
18 fundes you shall pour 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
19 super upon PREP+ACC
20 altare altar ACC.SG.N
21 et and CONJ
22 adipes fats ACC.PL.M
23 adolebis you shall burn 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
24 in for PREP+ACC
25 suavissimum most sweet ACC.SG.M.SUPER
26 odorem odor ACC.SG.M
27 Domino to LORD DAT.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause 1: Primogenitum bovis et ovis et capræ (direct object) + non facies redimi (causative construction)

Causal Clause: quia sanctificata sunt Domino
→ sanctificata (predicate participle) + sunt (auxiliary)
→ Domino (dative of recipient)

Main Clause 2: sanguinem eorum (direct object) + fundes (verb)
Adverb: tantum — restriction
Prepositional Phrase: super altare — location of pouring

Main Clause 3: adipes (direct object) + adolebis (verb)
Prepositional Phrase: in suavissimum odorem Domino — purpose or ritual result

Morphology

  1. Primogenitum — Lemma: primogenitus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of facies; Translation: firstborn; Notes: denotes the first offspring of an animal.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction (indeclinable); Function: marks contrast with redeemable animals previously mentioned; Translation: but; Notes: introduces an exception.
  3. bovis — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine, third declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying Primogenitum; Translation: of ox; Notes: specifies one class of clean sacrificial animal.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins genitive nouns; Translation: and; Notes: links categories in a list.
  5. ovis — Lemma: ovis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine, third declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying Primogenitum; Translation: of sheep; Notes: identifies another sacrificial animal category.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins genitive nouns; Translation: and; Notes: continues the coordinated list.
  7. capræ — Lemma: capra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine, first declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying Primogenitum; Translation: of goat; Notes: completes the clean sacrificial animal list.
  8. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates facies; Translation: not; Notes: denies the act of redemption for these firstborn animals.
  9. facies — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, second person singular; Function: main verb in causative construction; Translation: you shall cause; Notes: governs the passive infinitive redimi.
  10. redimi — Lemma: redimo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive after facies; Translation: to be redeemed; Notes: expresses ransom or buying back.
  11. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating conjunction; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: because; Notes: gives the reason for non-redemption.
  12. sanctificata — Lemma: sanctifico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle, nominative plural neuter; Function: predicate participle with sunt; Translation: sanctified; Notes: agrees with the implied neuter plural firstborn things.
  13. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, third person plural; Function: auxiliary verb forming perfect passive construction; Translation: they are; Notes: completes sanctificata sunt.
  14. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine, second declension; Function: dative of recipient; Translation: to LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH as recipient of consecration.
  15. sanguinem — Lemma: sanguis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: direct object of fundes; Translation: blood; Notes: sacrificial blood is poured upon the altar.
  16. tantum — Lemma: tantum; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: restricts the action; Translation: only; Notes: limits the ritual action here to the blood.
  17. eorum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine/neuter; Function: possessive genitive modifying sanguinem; Translation: their; Notes: refers to the firstborn animals.
  18. fundes — Lemma: fundo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, second person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall pour; Notes: describes ritual pouring of blood.
  19. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces location; Translation: upon; Notes: indicates placement over or upon a surface.
  20. altare — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, third declension; Function: object of super; Translation: altar; Notes: sacred place of sacrificial offering.
  21. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: links blood ritual with burning of fats.
  22. adipes — Lemma: adeps; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine, third declension; Function: direct object of adolebis; Translation: fats; Notes: fatty portions burned sacrificially.
  23. adolebis — Lemma: adoleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, second person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall burn; Notes: used of burning offerings ritually.
  24. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces purpose or result; Translation: for; Notes: expresses the ritual result of the burning.
  25. suavissimum — Lemma: suavis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: superlative degree, accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies odorem; Translation: most sweet; Notes: intensifies the pleasing character of the sacrificial odor.
  26. odorem — Lemma: odor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: object of in; Translation: odor; Notes: denotes the sacrificial aroma offered to the LORD.
  27. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine, second declension; Function: dative of recipient; Translation: to LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH as recipient of the offering.

 

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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