Leviticus 25:4

Posted on April 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 25:4 septimo autem anno sabbatum erit terræ, requietionis Domini: agrum non seres, et vineam non putabis.

but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of the land, a sabbath of rest to the LORD; you shall not sow the field, and you shall not prune the vineyard.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 septimo seventh ABL.SG.M.SUPER.ADJ
2 autem but ADV
3 anno year ABL.SG.M.2ND.DECL
4 sabbatum sabbath NOM.SG.N.2ND.DECL
5 erit will be 3SG.FUT.IND.ACT
6 terræ of the land GEN.SG.F.1ST.DECL
7 requietionis of rest GEN.SG.F.3RD.DECL
8 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M.2ND.DECL
9 agrum field ACC.SG.M.2ND.DECL
10 non not ADV
11 seres you will sow 2SG.FUT.IND.ACT
12 et and CONJ
13 vineam vineyard ACC.SG.F.1ST.DECL
14 non not ADV
15 putabis you will prune 2SG.FUT.IND.ACT

Syntax

Temporal Frame: septimo autem anno — ablative of time establishing contrast with the preceding six years.
Existential Clause: sabbatum erit — subject sabbatum with future copula erit.
Genitival Specification: terræ and requietionis Domini — layered genitives defining the sabbath as belonging to the land and dedicated to the LORD.
Prohibitive Futures: agrum non seres + vineam non putabis — future indicatives used with non to express prohibition.

Morphology

  1. septimo — Lemma: septimus; Part of Speech: adjective (ordinal); Form: ablative singular masculine, superlative degree by form; Function: modifies anno in an ablative time expression; Translation: seventh; Notes: Ordinal adjectives are formally superlative and here mark the climactic year in the cycle.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: but; Notes: Signals a shift from the six-year pattern to a contrasting regulation.
  3. anno — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, second declension; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: year; Notes: Anchors the ordinance within a specific year.
  4. sabbatum — Lemma: sabbatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter, second declension; Function: subject of erit; Translation: sabbath; Notes: Borrowed cultic term designating sacred cessation.
  5. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future indicative active; Function: copula of the main clause; Translation: will be; Notes: Future tense establishes an obligatory, scheduled reality.
  6. terræ — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine, first declension; Function: possessive genitive modifying sabbatum; Translation: of the land; Notes: Emphasizes that the rest applies to the land itself.
  7. requietionis — Lemma: requietio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine, third declension; Function: genitive of quality; Translation: of rest; Notes: Defines the sabbath by its essential character of cessation.
  8. Domini — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine, second declension; Function: genitive of dedication; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: Indicates the sabbath is consecrated to YHWH.
  9. agrum — Lemma: ager; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, second declension; Function: direct object of seres; Translation: field; Notes: Represents arable land subject to cultivation.
  10. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negates the verb; Translation: not; Notes: With the future indicative, expresses a prohibition.
  11. seres — Lemma: sero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future indicative active; Function: main verb of the first prohibition; Translation: you will sow; Notes: Agricultural verb barred during the sabbatical year.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates prohibitions; Translation: and; Notes: Joins parallel negative commands.
  13. vineam — Lemma: vinea; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, first declension; Function: direct object of putabis; Translation: vineyard; Notes: Complements agrum, covering perennial cultivation.
  14. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negates the verb; Translation: not; Notes: Repetition heightens the strictness of the prohibition.
  15. putabis — Lemma: puto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future indicative active; Function: main verb of the second prohibition; Translation: you will prune; Notes: Forbids vineyard maintenance during the year of rest.

 

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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