Leviticus 27:9

Posted on April 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

9 Animal autem, quod immolari potest Domino, si quis voverit, sanctum erit,

But an animal, which can be offered to the LORD, if anyone will have vowed it, it shall be holy,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Animal animal NOM.SG.N
2 autem however ADV
3 quod which REL.NOM.SG.N
4 immolari to be offered PRES.PASS.INF
5 potest is able 3SG.PRES.IND.ACT
6 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
7 si if CONJ
8 quis anyone NOM.SG.M.INDEF
9 voverit will have vowed 3SG.FUTP.IND.ACT
10 sanctum holy NOM.SG.N
11 erit will be 3SG.FUT.IND.ACT

Syntax

Main Clause:
Animal (Subject) + erit (Copulative verb) + sanctum (Predicate nominative)

Adversative Particle: autem — marks transition from prior valuation cases to sacrificial animals.

Relative Clause Modifying Animal:
quod (Subject of relative clause) + immolari potest Domino (Passive infinitive + modal verb + dative of recipient)

Conditional Clause:
si quis voverit — condition under which the main clause applies.

The structure establishes that an animal eligible for sacrifice, once vowed, becomes sacred.

Morphology

  1. Animal — Lemma: animal; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: nominative singular neuter, third declension; Function: subject of erit; Translation: animal; Notes: Refers specifically to sacrificially eligible creatures within sanctuary law.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: invariable; Function: transitional particle; Translation: however; Notes: Introduces a new legal category distinct from monetary valuation.
  3. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject of potest in relative clause; Translation: which; Notes: Agrees with Animal in gender and number.
  4. immolari — Lemma: immolo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive with potest; Translation: to be offered; Notes: Indicates sacrificial act performed upon the animal.
  5. potest — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular present indicative active; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: is able; Notes: Expresses eligibility rather than actual offering.
  6. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: dative singular masculine, second declension; Function: indirect object of sacrificial offering; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: Rendered LORD here because the referent is YHWH.
  7. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces conditional clause; Translation: if; Notes: Marks voluntary vow as triggering condition.
  8. quis — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: Indefinite pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of voverit; Translation: anyone; Notes: Broadens application universally within covenant community.
  9. voverit — Lemma: voveo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular future perfect indicative active; Function: verb of conditional clause; Translation: will have vowed; Notes: Future perfect marks completion of vow before sacred status takes effect.
  10. sanctum — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: holy; Notes: Denotes consecrated status set apart for divine use.
  11. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular future indicative active; Function: copulative verb in main clause; Translation: will be; Notes: Expresses resultant state following valid vow.

 

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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