Leviticus 25:23

Posted on April 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 25:23 Terra quoque non vendetur in perpetuum: quia mea est, et vos advenæ et coloni mei estis.

The land also shall not be sold in perpetuity, for it is mine, and you are sojourners and settlers with me.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Terra the land NOM.SG.F.1ST.DECL
2 quoque also ADV
3 non not ADV
4 vendetur shall be sold 3SG.FUT.IND.PASS
5 in in PREP+ABL
6 perpetuum perpetuity ABL.SG.N.INVAR
7 quia for CONJ
8 mea mine NOM.SG.F.POSS
9 est is 3SG.PRES.IND.ACT
10 et and CONJ
11 vos you NOM.PL.PERS
12 advenæ sojourners NOM.PL.M.1ST.DECL
13 et and CONJ
14 coloni settlers NOM.PL.M.2ND.DECL
15 mei my NOM.PL.M.POSS
16 estis you are 2PL.PRES.IND.ACT

Syntax

Main Prohibition: Terra … non vendetur — passive future indicating a standing legal restriction.
Adverbial Modifier: quoque — adds emphasis, extending the rule inclusively.
Limit Phrase: in perpetuum — adverbial ablative expressing permanence.
Causal Clause: quia mea est — reason grounding the rule in divine ownership.
Copular Assertion: vos advenæ et coloni mei estis — nominative predicates defining Israel’s status relative to the land.

Morphology

  1. Terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, first declension; Function: subject of vendetur; Translation: the land; Notes: Refers to the covenant territory as a whole.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: additive modifier; Translation: also; Notes: Broadens the scope of the regulation.
  3. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: Negates the permissibility of sale.
  4. vendetur — Lemma: vendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future indicative passive; Function: main verb; Translation: shall be sold; Notes: Passive underscores the legal state of the land rather than an agent.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: expresses limit/extent; Translation: in; Notes: Used idiomatically with temporal nouns.
  6. perpetuum — Lemma: perpetuum; Part of Speech: noun/adjectival substantive; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: perpetuity; Notes: Denotes unlimited duration without end.
  7. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces cause; Translation: for; Notes: Grounds law in theological rationale.
  8. mea — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective used substantively; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: mine; Notes: Asserts exclusive divine ownership.
  9. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: is; Notes: Links ownership directly to the land.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Connects clauses of ownership and status.
  11. vos — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: nominative plural; Function: subject of estis; Translation: you; Notes: Addresses the covenant community directly.
  12. advenæ — Lemma: advena; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine, first declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: sojourners; Notes: Highlights temporary resident status.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Joins complementary status terms.
  14. coloni — Lemma: colonus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine, second declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: settlers; Notes: Implies cultivation without absolute ownership.
  15. mei — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies advenæ and coloni; Translation: my; Notes: Defines status in relation to the divine owner.
  16. estis — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: you are; Notes: Concludes the legal-theological assertion.

 

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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