Leviticus 24:4

Posted on April 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 24:4 Super candelabrum mundissimum ponentur semper in conspectu Domini.

Upon the most clean lampstand they shall be set always in the sight of the LORD.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Super upon PREP+ACC
2 candelabrum lampstand ACC.SG.N
3 mundissimum most clean ACC.SG.N SUPER
4 ponentur they shall be set 3PL.FUT.PASS.IND
5 semper always ADV
6 in in PREP+ABL
7 conspectu sight ABL.SG.M
8 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Locative / Orientation Phrase: Super candelabrum mundissimum — prepositional phrase indicating where the items are placed; mundissimum agrees with candelabrum.

Main Verb: ponentur — future passive indicating the prescribed, ongoing placement of the lamps.

Adverbial Modifier: semper — expresses continual regularity.

Sacred Presence Phrase: in conspectu Domini — locative idiom meaning “before the LORD,” describing the ritual setting.

Morphology

  1. Super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: indicates position “upon/over” with a sense of placement; Translation: upon; Notes: with the accusative it commonly implies motion or arrangement onto a surface, not merely rest.
  2. candelabrum — Lemma: candelabrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative neuter singular, second declension; Function: object of Super; Translation: lampstand; Notes: cultic furnishing associated with regulated light in the sanctuary.
  3. mundissimum — Lemma: mundus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative neuter singular superlative; Function: modifies candelabrum; Translation: most clean; Notes: superlative heightens ritual purity, stressing the lampstand’s consecrated status.
  4. ponentur — Lemma: pono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future indicative passive; Function: main predicate describing what is to be done; Translation: they shall be set; Notes: passive keeps focus on the prescribed arrangement rather than the agent.
  5. semper — Lemma: semper; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies ponentur to express constancy; Translation: always; Notes: in ritual contexts it often means “regularly without interruption.”
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: marks location or sphere; Translation: in; Notes: here it forms an idiom with conspectu for “in the presence of.”
  7. conspectu — Lemma: conspectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative masculine singular, fourth declension; Function: object of in; Translation: sight; Notes: conveys “presence” or “view,” especially in formal religious language.
  8. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive masculine singular, second declension; Function: modifies conspectu (“the sight/presence of the LORD”); Translation: of the LORD; Notes: rendered “LORD” because it refers to YHWH in this cultic setting.

 

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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