Numeri 28:20 (Numbers 28:20)

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 28:20 et sacrificia singulorum ex simila quæ conspersa sit oleo, tres decimas per singulos vitulos, et duas decimas per arietem,

and the grain offerings for each of them shall be from fine flour which has been mixed with oil, three tenths for each bull, and two tenths for the ram,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 sacrificia grain-offerings NOM.PL.N
3 singulorum of-each GEN.PL.M
4 ex from PREP+ABL
5 simila fine-flour ABL.SG.F
6 quæ which REL.NOM.SG.F
7 conspersa mixed NOM.SG.F.PTCP.PERF.PASS
8 sit has-been 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 oleo with-oil ABL.SG.N
10 tres three ACC.PL.F
11 decimas tenths ACC.PL.F
12 per for PREP+ACC
13 singulos each ACC.PL.M
14 vitulos bulls ACC.PL.M
15 et and CONJ
16 duas two ACC.PL.F
17 decimas tenths ACC.PL.F
18 per for PREP+ACC
19 arietem ram ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: sacrificia singulorum (subject, with understood verb) — specifies the grain offerings accompanying each sacrificial animal.

Source Phrase: ex simila — indicates the material from which the grain offerings are made.

Relative Clause: quæ conspersa sit oleo — modifies simila, describing the fine flour as mixed with oil.

Measure Specification: tres decimas per singulos vitulos — prescribes three tenths for each bull.

Measure Specification: duas decimas per arietem — prescribes two tenths for the ram.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable coordinating conjunction; Function: Connects this regulation to the preceding instructions; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the sacrificial prescriptions.
  2. sacrificia — Lemma: sacrificium; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative plural neuter, 2nd Declension; Function: Subject; Translation: “grain offerings”; Notes: Refers to the cereal offerings accompanying the animals.
  3. singulorum — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: Adjective used substantively; Form: Genitive plural masculine; Function: Dependent genitive; Translation: “of each”; Notes: Refers to each sacrificial animal individually.
  4. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative; Function: Indicates source or material; Translation: “from”; Notes: Introduces the substance of the offering.
  5. simila — Lemma: simila; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine, 1st Declension; Function: Object of ex; Translation: “fine flour”; Notes: The principal ingredient of the grain offering.
  6. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative Pronoun; Form: Nominative singular feminine; Function: Subject of the relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers back to simila.
  7. conspersa — Lemma: conspergo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Perfect passive participle, nominative singular feminine; Function: Predicate participle; Translation: “mixed”; Notes: Describes flour that has been mingled with oil.
  8. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present active subjunctive, 3rd person singular; Function: Auxiliary verb in the relative clause; Translation: “has been”; Notes: Forms a descriptive subordinate clause.
  9. oleo — Lemma: oleum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter, 2nd Declension; Function: Ablative of means; Translation: “with oil”; Notes: Indicates the substance used to mix the flour.
  10. tres — Lemma: tres; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Modifies decimas; Translation: “three”; Notes: Specifies the quantity prescribed.
  11. decimas — Lemma: decima; Part of Speech: Noun used numerically; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Measure expression; Translation: “tenths”; Notes: Refers to tenth portions of an ephah.
  12. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the accusative; Function: Expresses distribution; Translation: “for”; Notes: Indicates allocation per animal.
  13. singulos — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies vitulos; Translation: “each”; Notes: Stresses individual distribution.
  14. vitulos — Lemma: vitulus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine, 2nd Declension; Function: Object of per; Translation: “bulls”; Notes: Refers to the sacrificial bulls.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable coordinating conjunction; Function: Connects the second measurement; Translation: “and”; Notes: Introduces an additional requirement.
  16. duas — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Modifies decimas; Translation: “two”; Notes: Specifies the quantity assigned to the ram.
  17. decimas — Lemma: decima; Part of Speech: Noun used numerically; Form: Accusative plural feminine; Function: Measure expression; Translation: “tenths”; Notes: Refers to tenth portions of an ephah.
  18. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the accusative; Function: Expresses distribution; Translation: “for”; Notes: Indicates allocation according to each animal.
  19. arietem — Lemma: aries; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine, 3rd Declension; Function: Object of per; Translation: “ram”; Notes: Refers to the sacrificial ram.

 

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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