Leviticus 1:14

Posted on April 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 1:14 Si autem de avibus, holocausti oblatio fuerit Domino, de turturibus, aut pullis columbæ,

If however the offering of the holocaust to the LORD is from birds, it shall be from turtledoves or from young pigeons,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Si if CONJ
2 autem however ADV, INDECL
3 de from PREP+ABL
4 avibus birds NOUN, ABL.PL.F, 3RD DECL
5 holocausti of the holocaust NOUN, GEN.SG.N, 2ND DECL
6 oblatio offering NOUN, NOM.SG.F, 3RD DECL
7 fuerit shall be VERB, 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
8 Domino to the LORD NOUN, DAT.SG.M, 2ND DECL
9 de from PREP+ABL
10 turturibus turtledoves NOUN, ABL.PL.F, 3RD DECL
11 aut or CONJ
12 pullis young ADJ, ABL.PL.M/F/N, POS
13 columbæ of pigeons NOUN, GEN.SG.F, 1ST DECL

Syntax

Conditional Clause: Si autem de avibus … fuerit — introduces an alternative category of sacrificial offering.
Subject: oblatio — the sacrificial offering.
Genitive Modifier: holocausti — specifies the type of sacrifice.
Dative of Advantage: Domino — indicates the offering is directed to the LORD (YHWH).
Prepositional Phrase: de avibus — introduces the source of the sacrifice.
Alternative Options: de turturibus aut pullis columbæ — the permitted birds for sacrifice.

Morphology

  1. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces conditional clause; Translation: if; Notes: standard protasis marker.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: however; Notes: signals alternative ritual case.
  3. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates source; Translation: from; Notes: introduces sacrificial category.
  4. avibus — Lemma: avis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: birds; Notes: contrasts with quadruped sacrifices.
  5. holocausti — Lemma: holocaustum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: specifying type; Translation: of the holocaust; Notes: describes classification of the offering.
  6. oblatio — Lemma: oblatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: the offering; Notes: core term for sacrificial presentation.
  7. fuerit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: verb of conditional clause; Translation: shall be; Notes: typical legal formulation.
  8. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: dative of advantage; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  9. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates source; Translation: from; Notes: repeats prepositional pattern.
  10. turturibus — Lemma: turtur; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: turtledoves; Notes: one of the prescribed clean birds.
  11. aut — Lemma: aut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: presents alternatives; Translation: or; Notes: exclusive disjunction.
  12. pullis — Lemma: pullus; Part of Speech: adjective functioning substantively; Form: ablative plural; Function: modifies columbæ; Translation: young; Notes: refers to juvenile birds appropriate for sacrifice.
  13. columbæ — Lemma: columba; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of pigeons; Notes: denotes species used in offerings.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Leviticus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.