Leviticus 23:4

Posted on April 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 23:4 Hæ sunt ergo feriæ Domini sanctæ, quas celebrare debetis temporibus suis.

These, therefore, are the holy feasts of the LORD, which you must celebrate in their appointed times.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæ these NOM.PL.F.DEM
2 sunt are 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
3 ergo therefore ADV
4 feriæ feasts NOM.PL.F
5 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
6 sanctæ holy NOM.PL.F.ADJ
7 quas which ACC.PL.F.REL
8 celebrare to celebrate PRES.ACT.INF
9 debetis you must 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
10 temporibus times ABL.PL.N
11 suis their ABL.PL.N.POSS

Syntax

Demonstrative Identification: Hæ sunt ergo feriæ Domini sanctæ — declarative clause identifying the subject as YHWH’s holy feasts, with ergo marking a conclusion from prior instruction.
Relative Obligation: quas celebrare debetis — relative clause expressing duty via an infinitive governed by a present indicative of obligation.
Temporal Specification: temporibus suis — ablative of time indicating fixed, appointed occasions.

Morphology

  1. Hæ — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative feminine plural; Function: subject; Translation: “these”; Notes: Points to the previously defined set of feasts.
  2. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person plural present active indicative; Function: copula; Translation: “are”; Notes: Links subject and predicate.
  3. ergo — Lemma: ergo; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: inferential connector; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Draws a conclusion from preceding legislation.
  4. feriæ — Lemma: feriæ; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative feminine plural; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “feasts”; Notes: Appointed sacred days.
  5. Domini — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive masculine singular; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH as institutor.
  6. sanctæ — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: nominative feminine plural; Function: modifies feriæ; Translation: “holy”; Notes: Indicates consecration.
  7. quas — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: accusative feminine plural; Function: object of celebrare; Translation: “which”; Notes: Refers back to the feasts.
  8. celebrare — Lemma: celebro; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive with debetis; Translation: “to celebrate”; Notes: Denotes formal observance.
  9. debetis — Lemma: debeo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: second person plural present active indicative; Function: verb of obligation; Translation: “you must”; Notes: Expresses binding duty.
  10. temporibus — Lemma: tempus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: ablative neuter plural; Function: ablative of time; Translation: “times”; Notes: Appointed seasons.
  11. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Possessive adjective; Form: ablative neuter plural; Function: modifies temporibus; Translation: “their”; Notes: Reflexive, referring to the feasts.

 

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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