Leviticus 14:7

Posted on April 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 14:7 quo asperget illum, qui mundandus est, septies, ut iure purgetur: et dimittet passerem vivum, ut in agrum avolet.

with which he shall sprinkle, the one who is to be cleansed, seven times, so that he may be lawfully purified; and he shall release the living sparrow, so that it may fly into the open field.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 quo with which ABL.SG.M REL.PRON
2 asperget he shall sprinkle 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
3 illum him ACC.SG.M DEM.PRON
4 qui who NOM.SG.M REL.PRON
5 mundandus to be cleansed NOM.SG.M GERUNDV
6 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 septies seven times ADV
8 ut so that CONJ
9 iure lawfully ABL.SG.N NOUN
10 purgetur he may be cleansed 3SG.PRES.PASS.SUBJ
11 et and CONJ
12 dimittet he shall release 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
13 passerem the sparrow ACC.SG.M
14 vivum living ACC.SG.M ADJ.POS
15 ut so that CONJ
16 in into PREP+ACC
17 agrum field ACC.SG.M
18 avolet it may fly away 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ

Syntax

Instrumental Relative: quo resumes the ritual elements previously mentioned as the means of action
Main Action: asperget governs the ritual sprinkling
Direct Object: illum identifies the person undergoing purification
Relative Clause: qui mundandus est characterizes the individual as requiring cleansing
Frequency Adverb: septies specifies the ritual number
Purpose Clause: ut iure purgetur expresses lawful purification as the goal
Coordinated Action: dimittet passerem vivum introduces the release of the bird
Final Purpose: ut in agrum avolet states the intended result of release

Morphology

  1. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: instrumental relative; Translation: with which; Notes: Refers back to the ritual implements.
  2. asperget — Lemma: aspergo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall sprinkle; Notes: Describes ritual application.
  3. illum — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: him; Notes: The person being purified.
  4. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of the relative clause; Translation: who; Notes: Refers back to illum.
  5. mundandus — Lemma: mundo; Part of Speech: gerundive; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: expresses necessity; Translation: to be cleansed; Notes: Indicates required purification.
  6. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: is; Notes: Completes the periphrastic expression.
  7. septies — Lemma: septies; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: frequency modifier; Translation: seven times; Notes: Symbolic ritual number.
  8. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: Governs the subjunctive.
  9. iure — Lemma: ius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of manner; Translation: lawfully; Notes: Emphasizes legal correctness.
  10. purgetur — Lemma: purgo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present subjunctive passive; Function: verb of purpose; Translation: he may be cleansed; Notes: Passive focuses on the result.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Joins sequential actions.
  12. dimittet — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall release; Notes: Concludes the ritual action.
  13. passerem — Lemma: passer; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: the sparrow; Notes: The living bird.
  14. vivum — Lemma: vivus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine positive; Function: modifies passerem; Translation: living; Notes: Contrasts with the sacrificed bird.
  15. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces final clause; Translation: so that; Notes: Expresses intended outcome.
  16. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: motion toward; Translation: into; Notes: Indicates direction.
  17. agrum — Lemma: ager; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: field; Notes: Open land outside habitation.
  18. avolet — Lemma: avolet; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present subjunctive active; Function: verb of purpose; Translation: it may fly away; Notes: Subjunctive required after ut.

 

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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