Numeri 15:7 (Numbers 15:7)

Posted on May 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 15:7 et vinum ad libamentum tertiæ partis eiusdem mensuræ offeret in odorem suavitatis Domino.

and wine for a drink offering, of a third part of the same measure, he shall offer as an odor of sweetness to the LORD.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 vinum wine ACC.SG.N.2ND DECL.OBJ
3 ad for PREP+ACC
4 libamentum drink offering ACC.SG.N.2ND DECL
5 tertiæ third GEN.SG.F.ADJ
6 partis part GEN.SG.F.3RD DECL
7 eiusdem of the same GEN.SG.M/F/N.DEM.PRON
8 mensuræ measure GEN.SG.F.1ST DECL
9 offeret he shall offer 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
10 in as PREP+ACC
11 odorem odor ACC.SG.M.3RD DECL
12 suavitatis of sweetness GEN.SG.F.3RD DECL
13 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M.2ND DECL.IOBJ

Syntax

Main Clause: offeret governs the direct object vinum, indicating the prescribed act of offering.

Purpose Phrase: ad libamentum expresses purpose, specifying that the wine is for a drink offering.

Measure Phrase: tertiæ partis eiusdem mensuræ defines the quantity, “of a third part of the same measure.”

Result / Description Phrase: in odorem suavitatis indicates the resulting effect, a pleasing aroma.

Indirect Object: Domino identifies the recipient of the offering.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating conjunction; Function: connects this prescription to the preceding instructions; Translation: and; Notes: Continues the legal sequence of sacrificial regulations.
  2. vinum — Lemma: vinum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: direct object of offeret; Translation: wine; Notes: Refers to the liquid used in libations accompanying sacrifices.
  3. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: introduces purpose; Translation: for; Notes: Indicates intended use or function of the wine.
  4. libamentum — Lemma: libamentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter second declension; Function: object of ad; Translation: drink offering; Notes: Refers specifically to a liquid offering poured out in worship.
  5. tertiæ — Lemma: tertius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies partis; Translation: of a third; Notes: Specifies the fractional portion of the measure.
  6. partis — Lemma: pars; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine third declension; Function: partitive genitive; Translation: part; Notes: Used with tertiæ to indicate a fractional amount.
  7. eiusdem — Lemma: idem; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine/feminine/neuter; Function: modifies mensuræ; Translation: of the same; Notes: Refers back to the previously defined measure, ensuring consistency.
  8. mensuræ — Lemma: mensura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine first declension; Function: genitive of description; Translation: of measure; Notes: Defines the standard quantity applied to the offering.
  9. offeret — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall offer; Notes: Expresses the required future act within ritual law.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: indicates result or purpose; Translation: as; Notes: With the accusative, expresses transformation into a result or effect.
  11. odorem — Lemma: odor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine third declension; Function: object of in; Translation: odor; Notes: Refers to the sensory result of the offering, especially in ritual language.
  12. suavitatis — Lemma: suavitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine third declension; Function: genitive modifying odorem; Translation: of sweetness; Notes: Describes the odor as pleasing and acceptable.
  13. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine second declension; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH, hence translated “LORD.”

 

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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