Leviticus 6:13

Posted on April 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 6:13 Ignis est iste perpetuus, qui numquam deficiet in altari.

This fire is perpetual, which shall never fail on the altar.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ignis fire NOUN NOM.SG.M
2 est is VERB 3SG PRES ACT IND
3 iste this PRON NOM.SG.M DEM
4 perpetuus perpetual ADJ NOM.SG.M POS
5 qui which PRON NOM.SG.M REL
6 numquam never ADV
7 deficiet shall fail VERB 3SG FUT ACT IND
8 in on PREP+ABL
9 altari altar NOUN ABL.SG.N

Syntax

Ignis est iste perpetuus — copular main clause asserting the enduring nature of the altar fire with demonstrative emphasis.
qui numquam deficiet in altari — relative clause qualifying ignis and stating its perpetual continuity in location.

Morphology

  1. Ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of the copular clause; Translation: fire; Notes: refers to the consecrated altar fire.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: copula linking subject and predicate; Translation: is; Notes: simple assertion of identity and state.
  3. iste — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: emphatic modifier of ignis; Translation: this; Notes: points to the specific fire just described in the ritual context.
  4. perpetuus — Lemma: perpetuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine positive degree; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: perpetual; Notes: expresses uninterrupted duration by command.
  5. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of the relative clause referring to ignis; Translation: which; Notes: resumes the antecedent ignis.
  6. numquam — Lemma: numquam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negates the verb absolutely; Translation: never; Notes: stresses permanent continuity.
  7. deficiet — Lemma: deficio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: shall fail; Notes: future form expresses enduring obligation.
  8. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs the ablative; Function: marks fixed location; Translation: on; Notes: locative use with altar.
  9. altari — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of the preposition in; Translation: altar; Notes: the sacred site where the fire must remain.

 

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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