Exodus 21:25

Posted on March 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

25 adustionem pro adustione, vulnus pro vulnere, livorem pro livore.

burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 adustionem burn ACC.SG.F 3RD DECL NOUN
2 pro for PREP+ABL PREP
3 adustione burn ABL.SG.F 3RD DECL NOUN
4 vulnus wound ACC.SG.N 3RD DECL NOUN
5 pro for PREP+ABL PREP
6 vulnere wound ABL.SG.N 3RD DECL NOUN
7 livorem bruise ACC.SG.M 3RD DECL NOUN
8 pro for PREP+ABL PREP
9 livore bruise ABL.SG.M 3RD DECL NOUN

Syntax

This verse continues the lex talionis (“law of retaliation”) structure, expressing **strict equivalence** for non-fatal injuries.
Each expression follows the exact syntactic pattern:

Accusative noun + pro + ablative noun

1. adustionem pro adustione — “burn for burn”
2. vulnus pro vulnere — “wound for wound”
3. livorem pro livore — “bruise for bruise”

There is no explicit verb; the legal force is implied (“shall be given,” “shall be paid,” or “shall be imposed”).
The structure forms a concise legal formula using parallelism for emphasis and clarity.

Morphology

  1. adustionem — Lemma: adustio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: direct object within the talionic formula representing the inflicted burn; Translation: burn; Notes: denotes a physical burning injury requiring proportional retribution.
  2. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses equivalence or exchange; Translation: for; Notes: standard legal preposition in compensation clauses.
  3. adustione — Lemma: adustio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: object of pro, indicating the compensatory burn required; Translation: burn; Notes: forms the exact balancing element “for burn.”
  4. vulnus — Lemma: vulnus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter 3rd declension; Function: direct object representing the inflicted wound; Translation: wound; Notes: neuter nominative and accusative forms identical—confirmed by context.
  5. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: states compensatory exchange; Translation: for; Notes: unchanged repeated legal usage.
  6. vulnere — Lemma: vulnus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter 3rd declension; Function: object of pro; Translation: wound; Notes: expresses the injury provided in restitution.
  7. livorem — Lemma: livor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine 3rd declension; Function: direct object naming the inflicted bruise; Translation: bruise; Notes: refers to discoloration/contusion from impact.
  8. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates compensatory equivalence; Translation: for; Notes: identical usage in all three clauses.
  9. livore — Lemma: livor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine 3rd declension; Function: object of pro; Translation: bruise; Notes: final balancing unit in the escalating sequence of bodily injuries.

 

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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