Leviticus 1:12

Posted on April 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 1:12 dividentque membra, caput, et omnia quæ adhærent iecori: et ponent super ligna, quibus subiiciendus est ignis:

and they shall divide the limbs, the head, and all the things that adhere to the liver; and they shall place them upon the wood, under which the fire is to be set;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 dividentque and they shall divide VERB, 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC -QUE
2 membra limbs NOUN, ACC.PL.N, 3RD DECL
3 caput head NOUN, ACC.SG.N, 3RD DECL
4 et and CONJ
5 omnia all things PRON/ADJ, ACC.PL.N, INDECL
6 quæ which PRON, NOM.PL.N, REL
7 adhærent adhere VERB, 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
8 iecori to the liver NOUN, DAT.SG.N, 3RD DECL
9 et and CONJ
10 ponent they shall place VERB, 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND
11 super upon PREP+ACC
12 ligna wood NOUN, ACC.PL.N, 2ND DECL
13 quibus under which PRON, ABL.PL.N, REL
14 subiiciendus to be set under GERUNDIVE, NOM.SG.M
15 est is VERB, 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
16 ignis fire NOUN, NOM.SG.M, 3RD DECL

Syntax

Main Clause 1: dividentque membra, caput, et omnia quæ adhærent iecori — describes the dismembering process, dividing limbs, the head, and all liver-attached parts.
Relative Clause: quæ adhærent iecori — specifies internal parts naturally joined to the liver.
Main Clause 2: et ponent super ligna — the priests place all pieces upon the arranged wood.
Relative Clause with Gerundive: quibus subiiciendus est ignis — indicates the wood beneath which the fire must be placed.
Gerundive Construction: passive obligation, “the fire is to be set.”

Morphology

  1. dividentque — Lemma: divido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future active indicative + enclitic -que; Function: main ritual action; Translation: and they shall divide; Notes: describes butchering of the sacrificial animal.
  2. membra — Lemma: membrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: limbs; Notes: refers to the prepared sections of the carcass.
  3. caput — Lemma: caput; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: coordinated object; Translation: head; Notes: listed separately for ritual clarity.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: links objects.
  5. omnia — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: substantive direct object; Translation: all things; Notes: refers to all remaining internal parts.
  6. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: which; Notes: agrees with omnia.
  7. adhærent — Lemma: adhaereo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: adhere; Notes: anatomical description.
  8. iecori — Lemma: iecur; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular neuter; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the liver; Notes: marks anatomical connection.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces second main clause; Translation: and; Notes: simple additive.
  10. ponent — Lemma: pono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they shall place; Notes: describes arrangement on the altar.
  11. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial marker; Translation: upon; Notes: identifies the surface of placement.
  12. ligna — Lemma: lignum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of super; Translation: wood; Notes: arranged fuel for burning.
  13. quibus — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: relative pronoun introducing gerundive clause; Translation: under which; Notes: refers to ligna.
  14. subiiciendus — Lemma: subicio; Part of Speech: gerundive; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: passive obligation modifying ignis; Translation: to be set under; Notes: expresses necessity in ritual procedure.
  15. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: forms gerundive periphrasis; Translation: is; Notes: indicates obligation (“must be placed”).
  16. ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of gerundive phrase; Translation: fire; Notes: refers to sacrificial flame.

 

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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