Numeri 29:20 (Numbers 29:20)

Posted on May 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Nm 29:20 Die tertio offeretis vitulos undecim, arietes duos, agnos anniculos immaculatos quattuordecim:

On the third day you shall offer eleven young bulls, two rams, and fourteen spotless yearling lambs;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Die on the day ABL.SG.M
2 tertio third ABL.SG.M
3 offeretis you shall offer 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND
4 vitulos bulls ACC.PL.M
5 undecim eleven INDECL
6 arietes rams ACC.PL.M
7 duos two ACC.PL.M
8 agnos lambs ACC.PL.M
9 anniculos yearling ACC.PL.M
10 immaculatos spotless ACC.PL.M
11 quattuordecim fourteen INDECL

Syntax

Temporal Phrase: Die tertio functions as an ablative of time when, specifying the day on which the offerings are to be presented.

Main Clause: offeretis is the principal verb with an implied second-person plural subject.

Direct Objects: vitulos undecim, arietes duos, and agnos anniculos immaculatos quattuordecim form a coordinated list of sacrificial animals required for the third day.

Descriptive Modifiers: anniculos and immaculatos both modify agnos, specifying their age and physical suitability for sacrifice.

Morphology

  1. Die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative Singular Masculine; Function: Ablative of time when; Translation: “on the day”; Notes: Establishes the temporal setting of the command.
  2. tertio — Lemma: tertius; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Ablative Singular Masculine; Function: Modifies Die; Translation: “third”; Notes: Identifies the third day of the festival sequence.
  3. offeretis — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Second Person Plural Future Active Indicative; Function: Main verb; Translation: “you shall offer”; Notes: Expresses the prescribed future action.
  4. vitulos — Lemma: vitulus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “bulls”; Notes: Refers to the sacrificial young bulls.
  5. undecim — Lemma: undecim; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable Cardinal Number; Function: Modifies vitulos; Translation: “eleven”; Notes: Specifies the required number of bulls.
  6. arietes — Lemma: aries; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “rams”; Notes: Refers to mature male sheep offered in sacrifice.
  7. duos — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies arietes; Translation: “two”; Notes: Specifies the number of rams.
  8. agnos — Lemma: agnus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Direct object; Translation: “lambs”; Notes: Refers to the sacrificial lambs.
  9. anniculos — Lemma: anniculus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies agnos; Translation: “yearling”; Notes: Indicates that the lambs are one year old.
  10. immaculatos — Lemma: immaculatus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative Plural Masculine; Function: Modifies agnos; Translation: “spotless”; Notes: Indicates freedom from physical defect, a requirement for sacrifice.
  11. quattuordecim — Lemma: quattuordecim; Part of Speech: Numeral; Form: Indeclinable Cardinal Number; Function: Modifies agnos; Translation: “fourteen”; Notes: Specifies the required 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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