Exodus 21:14

Posted on March 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 21:14 Si quis per industriam occiderit proximum suum, et per insidias: ab altari meo evelles eum, ut moriatur.

If anyone has killed his neighbor by purpose and by ambush, you shall tear him even from My altar so that he may die.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Si if CONJ INDECL
2 quis anyone NOM.SG.M INDEF.PRON
3 per by PREP+ACC PREP
4 industriam purpose / intent ACC.SG.F 1ST DECL NOUN
5 occiderit has killed 3SG.FUTP.ACT.SUBJ VERB
6 proximum neighbor ACC.SG.M 2ND DECL NOUN
7 suum his ACC.SG.M POSS.ADJ
8 et and CONJ INDECL
9 per by PREP+ACC PREP
10 insidias ambush ACC.PL.F 1ST DECL NOUN
11 ab from PREP+ABL PREP
12 altari altar ABL.SG.N 3RD DECL NOUN
13 meo my ABL.SG.N POSS.ADJ
14 evelles you shall tear away 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND VERB
15 eum him ACC.SG.M PERS.PRON
16 ut so that CONJ INDECL
17 moriatur he may die 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.DEP VERB

Syntax

Conditional protasis:
Si quis per industriam occiderit proximum suum — “If anyone has killed his neighbor by purpose.”
• per industriam = intentional, deliberate act.
• occiderit = future perfect subjunctive indicating legal conditionality.
• proximum suum = direct object (neighbor, with possessive).

Intensifying addition:
et per insidias — “and by ambush.”
• Indicates premeditated, treacherous killing.

Main clause:
ab altari meo evelles eum — “you shall tear him from my altar.”
• Even sanctuary asylum does not protect a murderer.

Final purpose clause:
ut moriatur — “so that he may die.”
• Legal execution mandated for intentional, premeditated homicide.

Morphology

  1. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces legal conditional clause; Translation: if; Notes: opens protasis.
  2. quis — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: anyone; Notes: expresses generality in law.
  3. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses manner; Translation: by; Notes: introduces means of action.
  4. industriam — Lemma: industria; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine 1st declension; Function: object of per; Translation: purpose / intent; Notes: legal term for deliberate intention.
  5. occiderit — Lemma: occido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect active subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: verb of conditional protasis; Translation: has killed; Notes: used in legal conditions for future cases.
  6. proximum — Lemma: proximus; Part of Speech: noun/adjective used substantively; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: neighbor; Notes: refers to fellow member of the community.
  7. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies proximum; Translation: his; Notes: reflexive to the subject.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: adds aggravating factor.
  9. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces additional means; Translation: by; Notes: indicates treachery.
  10. insidias — Lemma: insidiae; Part of Speech: noun (plural-only); Form: accusative plural feminine 1st declension; Function: object of per; Translation: ambush; Notes: indicates premeditation.
  11. ab — Lemma: ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates separation; Translation: from; Notes: expresses removal.
  12. altari — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter 3rd declension; Function: object of ab; Translation: altar; Notes: sacred site offering asylum.
  13. meo — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies altari; Translation: my; Notes: emphasizes divine ownership.
  14. evelles — Lemma: evello; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative 2nd singular; Function: main imperative-like command; Translation: you shall tear away; Notes: directed to judicial authority.
  15. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of evelles; Translation: him; Notes: the murderer.
  16. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: expresses intended judicial outcome.
  17. moriatur — Lemma: morior; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: present subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: he may die; Notes: legal mandate of execution for premeditated murder.

 

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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