Numeri 18:24 (Numbers 18:24)

Posted on May 15, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 18:24 decimarum oblatione contenti, quas in usus eorum et necessaria separavi.

being content with the offering of the tithes, which I have set apart for their use and necessities.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 decimarum of tithes GEN.PL.F
2 oblatione offering ABL.SG.F
3 contenti content PTCP.NOM.PL.M.PERF.PASS
4 quas which ACC.PL.F.REL
5 in for PREP+ACC
6 usus use ACC.PL.M
7 eorum their GEN.PL
8 et and CONJ
9 necessaria necessities ACC.PL.N
10 separavi I have set apart 1SG.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Participial Construction: decimarum oblatione contenti
→ contenti (predicate participle/adjective)
→ oblatione (ablative complement with contenti)
→ decimarum (dependent genitive modifying oblatione)

Relative Clause: quas in usus eorum et necessaria separavi
→ quas (direct object)
→ separavi (verb)
→ in usus eorum et necessaria (purpose/result expression)

Morphology

  1. decimarum — Lemma: decima; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine, first declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying oblatione; Translation: of tithes; Notes: refers to the sacred tenth-portions given to the Levites.
  2. oblatione — Lemma: oblatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, third declension; Function: ablative complement with contenti; Translation: offering; Notes: sacrificial or dedicated gift.
  3. contenti — Lemma: contendo; Part of Speech: participle used adjectivally; Form: perfect passive participle nominative plural masculine; Function: predicate participle describing the Levites; Translation: content; Notes: conveys satisfaction with allotted provision.
  4. quas — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of separavi; Translation: which; Notes: refers to the tithes or offerings.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces purpose or result; Translation: for; Notes: movement toward intended use.
  6. usus — Lemma: usus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine, fourth declension; Function: object of in; Translation: use; Notes: practical benefit or function.
  7. eorum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies usus; Translation: their; Notes: refers to the Levites.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: joins nouns; Translation: and; Notes: additive connection.
  9. necessaria — Lemma: necessarium; Part of Speech: noun used substantively; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: coordinated object of in; Translation: necessities; Notes: essential needs or provisions.
  10. separavi — Lemma: separo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, first person singular; Function: main verb of relative clause; Translation: I have set apart; Notes: divine act of consecration or allocation.

 

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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