Leviticus 25:54

Posted on April 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 25:54 Quod si per hæc redimi non potuerit, anno iubileo egredietur cum liberis suis.

But if through these means he has not been able to be redeemed, in the year of the jubilee he shall go out with his children.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quod but if CONJ
2 si if CONJ
3 per through PREP+ACC
4 hæc these ACC.PL.N.DEM.PRON
5 redimi to be redeemed PRES.INF.PASS
6 non not ADV
7 potuerit has been able 3SG.PERF.SUBJ.ACT
8 anno in the year ABL.SG.M.2ND.DECL
9 iubileo jubilee ABL.SG.N.2ND.DECL
10 egredietur he shall go out 3SG.FUT.IND.DEP
11 cum with PREP+ABL
12 liberis children ABL.PL.M.2ND.DECL
13 suis his ABL.PL.M.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Adversative Conditional: Quod si per hæc redimi non potuerit — introduces an exception where prior redemption methods fail, using perfect subjunctive in legal style.
Temporal Setting: anno iubileo — ablative of time when, specifying the jubilee year.
Main Clause: egredietur cum liberis suis — deponent future indicative prescribing mandatory release together with offspring.

Morphology

  1. Quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: adversative conditional introducer; Translation: but if; Notes: Commonly paired with si to mark an exception.
  2. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: conditional marker; Translation: if; Notes: Signals a legal contingency.
  3. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: means; Translation: through; Notes: Refers to previously listed redemption avenues.
  4. hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of per; Translation: these; Notes: Summarizes the preceding provisions.
  5. redimi — Lemma: redimo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: to be redeemed; Notes: Passive emphasizes the beneficiary.
  6. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: Negates the possibility.
  7. potuerit — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect subjunctive active; Function: verb of the conditional clause; Translation: has been able; Notes: Typical legal perfect subjunctive.
  8. anno — Lemma: annus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, second declension; Function: ablative of time; Translation: in the year; Notes: Marks the moment of release.
  9. iubileo — Lemma: iubileus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies anno; Translation: jubilee; Notes: Refers to the mandated year of release.
  10. egredietur — Lemma: egredior; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: third person singular future indicative deponent; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall go out; Notes: Technical term for release from service.
  11. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: accompaniment; Translation: with; Notes: Indicates those released together.
  12. liberis — Lemma: liberi; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine, second declension; Function: object of cum; Translation: children; Notes: Includes offspring born during service.
  13. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies liberis; Translation: his; Notes: Reflexive possession referring to the servant.

 

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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