Numeri 29:2 (Numbers 29:2)

Posted on May 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 29:2 Offeretisque holocaustum in odorem suavissimum Domino, vitulum de armento unum, arietem unum, et agnos anniculos immaculatos septem:

And you shall offer a holocaust as a most pleasing aroma to the LORD: one young bull from the herd, one ram, and seven spotless yearling lambs;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Offeretisque and you shall offer 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND
2 holocaustum burnt offering ACC.SG.N
3 in as / for PREP+ACC
4 odorem aroma ACC.SG.M
5 suavissimum most pleasing ACC.SG.M.SUPER
6 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
7 vitulum young bull ACC.SG.M
8 de from PREP+ABL
9 armento herd ABL.SG.N
10 unum one ACC.SG.M
11 arietem ram ACC.SG.M
12 unum one ACC.SG.M
13 et and CONJ
14 agnos lambs ACC.PL.M
15 anniculos yearling ACC.PL.M
16 immaculatos spotless ACC.PL.M
17 septem seven INDECL

Syntax

Main Clause: Offeretisque is the main verb with an implied second-person plural subject (“you”). holocaustum is the direct object.

Purpose Phrase: in odorem suavissimum Domino functions as a phrase expressing the offering’s acceptability before the LORD, literally “for a most pleasing aroma to the LORD.”

Appositional Specification of the Offering: vitulum de armento unum, arietem unum, and agnos anniculos immaculatos septem specify the sacrificial animals that constitute the burnt offering.

Morphology

  1. Offeretisque — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Second Person Plural Future Active Indicative with enclitic conjunction -que; Function: Main verb; Translation: “and you shall offer”; Notes: The enclitic -que connects this instruction to the preceding command.
  2. holocaustum — Lemma: holocaustum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Neuter; Function: Direct object of Offeretisque; Translation: “holocaust”; Notes: Refers to an offering wholly consumed upon the altar.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the Accusative; Function: Introduces purpose/result phrase; Translation: “for”; Notes: Indicates the intended effect or character of the sacrifice.
  4. odorem — Lemma: odor; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Object of in; Translation: “aroma”; Notes: A common sacrificial expression denoting divine acceptance.
  5. suavissimum — Lemma: suavis; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine Superlative Degree; Function: Modifies odorem; Translation: “most pleasing”; Notes: The superlative intensifies the quality of the aroma.
  6. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Dative Singular Masculine; Function: Dative of reference; Translation: “to the LORD”; Notes: Identifies YHWH as the recipient of the sacrifice.
  7. vitulum — Lemma: vitulus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: First sacrificial item; Translation: “young bull”; Notes: The principal animal of the offering list.
  8. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the Ablative; Function: Introduces source phrase; Translation: “from”; Notes: Specifies the source category of the animal.
  9. armento — Lemma: armentum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Neuter; Function: Object of de; Translation: “herd”; Notes: Refers to larger domesticated cattle.
  10. unum — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: Numeral Adjective; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Modifies vitulum; Translation: “one”; Notes: Specifies the required quantity.
  11. arietem — Lemma: aries; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Second sacrificial item; Translation: “ram”; Notes: A mature male sheep used in sacrificial worship.
  12. unum — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: Numeral Adjective; Form: Accusative Singular Masculine; Function: Modifies arietem; Translation: “one”; Notes: Specifies the exact number required.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Indeclinable; Function: Connects coordinated sacrificial items; Translation: “and”; Notes: Joins the final element of the list.
  14. agnos — Lemma: agnus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Third sacrificial item; Translation: “lambs”; Notes: Refers to young sheep suitable for sacrifice.
  15. anniculos — Lemma: anniculus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies agnos; Translation: “yearling”; Notes: Indicates animals one year old.
  16. immaculatos — Lemma: immaculatus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies agnos; Translation: “spotless”; Notes: Denotes freedom from physical defect.
  17. septem — Lemma: septem; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable Cardinal Number; Function: Quantifies agnos; Translation: “seven”; Notes: Completes the prescribed number of lambs.

 

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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