Numeri 15:9 (Numbers 15:9)

Posted on May 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 15:9 dabis per singulos boves similæ tres decimas conspersæ oleo, quod habeat medium mensuræ hin:

you shall give, for each ox, fine flour of three tenths mixed with oil, which has half of the measure of a hin.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 dabis you shall give 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
2 per for PREP+ACC
3 singulos each ACC.PL.M.ADJ
4 boves oxen ACC.PL.M.3RD DECL
5 similæ of fine flour GEN.SG.F.1ST DECL
6 tres three ACC.PL.F.NUM
7 decimas tenths ACC.PL.F.1ST DECL
8 conspersæ mixed GEN.SG.F.PERF.PASS.PTCP
9 oleo with oil ABL.SG.N.2ND DECL
10 quod which NOM.SG.N.REL.PRON
11 habeat may have 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
12 medium half ACC.SG.N.ADJ
13 mensuræ of measure GEN.SG.F.1ST DECL
14 hin hin GEN.SG.N.INDECL

Syntax

Main Clause: dabis governs the implied object of the offering, with similæ tres decimas specifying what is given.

Distribution Phrase: per singulos boves indicates distribution, “for each ox.”

Genitive Description: similæ defines the substance of the offering, modified by conspersæ oleo describing preparation.

Relative Clause: quod habeat medium mensuræ hin specifies the measure of the mixture.

Morphology

  1. dabis — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall give; Notes: Expresses a prescriptive future action in ritual law.
  2. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: indicates distribution; Translation: for; Notes: Used to express distribution across individual units.
  3. singulos — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies boves; Translation: each; Notes: Emphasizes one-by-one distribution.
  4. boves — Lemma: bos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine third declension; Function: object of per; Translation: oxen; Notes: Refers to cattle used in sacrificial contexts.
  5. similæ — Lemma: simila; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine first declension; Function: genitive modifying decimas; Translation: of fine flour; Notes: Specifies the material of the offering.
  6. tres — Lemma: tres; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies decimas; Translation: three; Notes: Indicates the quantity.
  7. decimas — Lemma: decima; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine first declension; Function: direct object of dabis; Translation: tenths; Notes: Refers to fractional units of measure.
  8. conspersæ — Lemma: conspergo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: genitive singular feminine perfect passive participle; Function: modifies similæ; Translation: mixed; Notes: Describes the preparation of the flour.
  9. oleo — Lemma: oleum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter second declension; Function: ablative of means; Translation: with oil; Notes: Indicates the substance used for mixing.
  10. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of the relative clause; Translation: which; Notes: Refers to the offering or mixture.
  11. habeat — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: may have; Notes: Subjunctive expresses characteristic or prescribed property.
  12. medium — Lemma: medius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies an implied part; Translation: half; Notes: Indicates a fractional portion.
  13. mensuræ — Lemma: mensura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine first declension; Function: genitive of measure; Translation: of measure; Notes: Defines the standard of quantity.
  14. hin — Lemma: hin; Part of Speech: indeclinable noun; Form: genitive singular; Function: genitive of measure; Translation: of a hin; Notes: A unit of liquid measure retained from Hebrew usage.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Numeri. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.