Leviticus 1:8

Posted on April 1, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

LV 1:8 et membra quæ sunt cæsa, desuper ordinantes, caput videlicet, et cuncta quæ adhærent iecori,

and the limbs which have been cut, arranging them above, namely the head and all the things that are attached to the liver,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 membra limbs NOUN, ACC.PL.N, 3RD DECL
3 quæ which PRON, NOM.PL.N, REL
4 sunt are VERB, 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
5 cæsa having been cut PTCP, PERF.PASS.NOM.PL.N
6 desuper from above / above ADV, INDECL
7 ordinantes arranging PTCP, PRES.ACT.NOM.PL.M
8 caput head NOUN, ACC.SG.N, 3RD DECL
9 videlicet namely ADV, INDECL
10 et and CONJ
11 cuncta all things ADJ/PRON, ACC.PL.N, INDECL (as substantive)
12 quæ which PRON, NOM.PL.N, REL
13 adhærent adhere VERB, 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
14 iecori to the liver NOUN, DAT.SG.N, 3RD DECL

Syntax

Coordinated Structure: et membra introduces a new element in the ritual sequence, coordinated with prior actions.
Relative Clause 1: quæ sunt cæsa — specifies that the limbs being arranged are those already cut.
Participial Phrase: desuper ordinantes — describes how the priests place the limbs, arranging them above the fire or wood.
Apposition: caput videlicet — clarifies that the head is included among the limbs.
Relative Clause 2: quæ adhærent iecori — specifies additional internal parts attached to the liver.
Object Phrase: cuncta quæ adhærent iecori — the entirety of the liver-connected parts are included in the ritual arrangement.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links this step to the previous ritual instruction; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  2. membra — Lemma: membrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of ordinantes (understood); Translation: limbs; Notes: refers to dismembered parts of the sacrificial animal.
  3. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject of sunt cæsa; Translation: which; Notes: agrees with membra.
  4. sunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present active indicative; Function: auxiliary with participle; Translation: are; Notes: forms passive periphrastic meaning “have been cut.”
  5. cæsa — Lemma: caedo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle nominative plural neuter; Function: predicate with sunt; Translation: having been cut; Notes: describes preparatory dismemberment.
  6. desuper — Lemma: desuper; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies ordinantes; Translation: above; Notes: indicates vertical placement in the sacrificial order.
  7. ordinantes — Lemma: ordino; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative plural masculine; Function: describes priestly action; Translation: arranging; Notes: participial subject matches implied “they” (the priests).
  8. caput — Lemma: caput; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object included among membra; Translation: head; Notes: specially named for clarity in sacrifice preparation.
  9. videlicet — Lemma: videlicet; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: clarifying marker; Translation: namely; Notes: introduces specification.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins additional objects; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates with caput.
  11. cuncta — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: substantive object; Translation: all things; Notes: refers to all internal parts belonging to the liver.
  12. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: introduces relative clause modifying cuncta; Translation: which; Notes: agrees with cuncta.
  13. adhærent — Lemma: adhaereo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present active indicative; Function: main verb of the relative clause; Translation: adhere; Notes: describes anatomical connection.
  14. iecori — Lemma: iecur; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular neuter; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the liver; Notes: indicates attachment to the liver lobe.

 

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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