Leviticus 10:10

Posted on April 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 10:10 Et ut habeatis scientiam discernendi inter sanctum et profanum, inter pollutum et mundum:

And so that you may have knowledge for discerning between the holy and the profane, between the unclean and the clean;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 ut so that CONJ
3 habeatis you may have 2PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
4 scientiam knowledge ACC.SG.F
5 discernendi of discerning GER.GEN.SG
6 inter between PREP+ACC
7 sanctum the holy ACC.SG.N
8 et and CONJ
9 profanum the profane ACC.SG.N
10 inter between PREP+ACC
11 pollutum the unclean ACC.SG.N
12 et and CONJ
13 mundum the clean ACC.SG.N

Syntax

Purpose Clause: ut habeatis scientiam discernendi — expresses the intended outcome of the command
Main Verb: habeatis — subjunctive of purpose
Object: scientiam — intellectual capacity or authoritative knowledge
Gerund Complement: discernendi — specifies the content of the knowledge
Paired Prepositional Phrases: inter sanctum et profanum, inter pollutum et mundum — binary ritual distinctions

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links this purpose to the preceding command.
  2. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: Signals intended result.
  3. habeatis — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: you may have; Notes: Expresses ongoing priestly responsibility.
  4. scientiam — Lemma: scientia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative feminine singular; Function: direct object; Translation: knowledge; Notes: Authoritative, applied understanding.
  5. discernendi — Lemma: discernō; Part of Speech: gerund; Form: genitive singular; Function: objective genitive; Translation: of discerning; Notes: Specifies the function of the knowledge.
  6. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: relational marker; Translation: between; Notes: Introduces contrast.
  7. sanctum — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: object of inter; Translation: the holy; Notes: Set apart for YHWH.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Joins opposites.
  9. profanum — Lemma: profanus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: object of inter; Translation: the profane; Notes: Outside sacred status.
  10. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: parallel construction; Translation: between; Notes: Repetition reinforces distinction.
  11. pollutum — Lemma: pollutus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: object of inter; Translation: the unclean; Notes: Ritually defiled.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links final pair.
  13. mundum — Lemma: mundus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: object of inter; Translation: the clean; Notes: Ritually pure.

 

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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