Numeri 28:22 (Numbers 28:22)

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 28:22 Et hircum pro peccato unum, ut expietur pro vobis,

And one he-goat for sin, so that atonement may be made for you.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 hircum he-goat ACC.SG.M
3 pro for PREP+ABL
4 peccato sin ABL.SG.N
5 unum one ACC.SG.M
6 ut so-that CONJ
7 expietur atonement-may-be-made 3SG.PRES.PASS.SUBJ
8 pro for PREP+ABL
9 vobis you ABL.PL.PERS

Syntax

Main Sacrificial Expression: hircum pro peccato unum — accusative expression specifying one he-goat as a sin offering.

Prepositional Phrase: pro peccato — identifies the purpose of the offering, namely for sin.

Purpose Clause: ut expietur pro vobis — subordinate clause expressing the intended result of the sacrifice.

Verb: expietur — passive subjunctive after ut, indicating that atonement may be effected on behalf of the people.

Benefactive Phrase: pro vobis — indicates those for whose benefit the atonement is made.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable coordinating conjunction; Function: Connects this sacrifice with the preceding offerings; Translation: “and”; Notes: Continues the sacrificial instructions.
  2. hircum — Lemma: hircus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative singular masculine, 2nd Declension; Function: Direct object in the sacrificial specification; Translation: “he-goat”; Notes: The animal designated for the sin offering.
  3. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative; Function: Introduces purpose or representation; Translation: “for”; Notes: Commonly used in sacrificial contexts.
  4. peccato — Lemma: peccatum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter, 2nd Declension; Function: Object of pro; Translation: “sin”; Notes: Identifies the reason for the offering.
  5. unum — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: Numeral Adjective; Form: Accusative singular masculine; Function: Modifies hircum; Translation: “one”; Notes: Specifies the required number of animals.
  6. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Introduces a purpose clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: Marks the intended outcome of the sacrifice.
  7. expietur — Lemma: expio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Present passive subjunctive, 3rd person singular; Function: Verb of the purpose clause; Translation: “atonement may be made”; Notes: Expresses the removal of guilt or ritual impurity.
  8. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative; Function: Introduces the beneficiaries of the atonement; Translation: “for”; Notes: Indicates representation on behalf of others.
  9. vobis — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: Personal Pronoun; Form: Ablative plural; Function: Object of pro; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to the covenant community for whom atonement is sought.

 

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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