Leviticus 3:14

Posted on April 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 3:14 Tollentque ex ea in pastum ignis dominici, adipem qui operit ventrem, et qui tegit universa vitalia:

And they shall take from it for the feeding of the fire of the LORD the fat that covers the belly, and that which covers all the inward parts;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Tollentque and they shall take VERB, 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC -QUE
2 ex from PREP+ABL
3 ea it PRON, ABL.SG.F, DEM
4 in into / for PREP+ACC
5 pastum feeding NOUN, ACC.SG.M, SUP
6 ignis of the fire NOUN, GEN.SG.M, 3RD DECL
7 dominici of the LORD ADJ, GEN.SG.M
8 adipem fat NOUN, ACC.SG.M, 3RD DECL
9 qui which PRON, NOM.SG.M, REL
10 operit covers VERB, 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
11 ventrem belly NOUN, ACC.SG.M, 3RD DECL
12 et and CONJ
13 qui which PRON, NOM.SG.M, REL
14 teg covers VERB, 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
15 universa all ADJ, ACC.PL.N
16 vitalia inward parts NOUN, ACC.PL.N, 3RD DECL

Syntax

Main Clause: Tollentque ex ea — the priests remove portions from the offering.
Purpose/Result Phrase: in pastum ignis dominici — indicates the fat designated “for the feeding of the fire of the LORD.”
Direct Object: adipem — the fat portion is what is removed.
Relative Clauses: qui operit ventrem and qui tegit universa vitalia — precisely identify which fat is taken.

Morphology

  1. Tollentque — Lemma: tollo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future active indicative with enclitic -que; Function: main verb; Translation: and they shall take; Notes: priestly action of removing sacrificial portions.
  2. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses separation; Translation: from; Notes: standard partitive marker.
  3. ea — Lemma: is (ea, id); Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of ex; Translation: it; Notes: refers to the sacrificial animal.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses purpose/result; Translation: into / for; Notes: here marks designation of portions for the altar fire.
  5. pastum — Lemma: pastus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: feeding; Notes: used metaphorically of supplying the altar fire.
  6. ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the fire; Notes: refers to the altar fire.
  7. dominici — Lemma: dominicus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies ignis; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: indicates sacred ownership.
  8. adipem — Lemma: adeps; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: fat; Notes: refers to the sacrificial fat portions reserved for burning.
  9. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: relative pronoun; Translation: which; Notes: introduces descriptive clause.
  10. operit — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: covers; Notes: describes placement of fat.
  11. ventrem — Lemma: venter; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of operit; Translation: belly; Notes: anatomical detail for ritual precision.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links relative clauses; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates two descriptions of fat portions.
  13. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: relative pronoun; Translation: which; Notes: introduces second relative clause.
  14. teg — Lemma: tego; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb of clause; Translation: covers; Notes: present-tense descriptive action.
  15. universa — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: modifies vitalia; Translation: all; Notes: indicates totality of inner organs.
  16. vitalia — Lemma: vitalia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of teg; Translation: inward parts; Notes: refers to entrails of sacrificial animal.

 

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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