Leviticus 11:21

Posted on April 11, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 11:21 Quidquid autem ambulat quidem super quattuor pedes, sed habet longiora retro crura, per quæ salit super terram,

But whatever indeed walks upon four feet, yet has longer hind legs, by which it leaps upon the ground,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quidquid whatever NOM.SG.N.INDEF
2 autem but CONJ
3 ambulat walks 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
4 quidem indeed ADV
5 super upon PREP+ACC
6 quattuor four INDECL
7 pedes feet ACC.PL.M
8 sed yet CONJ
9 habet has 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
10 longiora longer ACC.PL.N.CMPR
11 retro behind ADV
12 crura legs ACC.PL.N
13 per by PREP+ACC
14 quæ which REL.ACC.PL.N
15 salit leaps 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
16 super upon PREP+ACC
17 terram ground ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Main Subject: Quidquid — indefinite subject introducing an exception
Concessive Frame: ambulat quidem — acknowledges a general trait
Contrastive Clause: sed habet longiora retro crura — introduces distinguishing feature
Instrumental Relative Clause: per quæ salit super terram — explains functional use of the legs

Morphology

  1. Quidquid — Lemma: quidquid; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: nominative neuter singular; Function: subject; Translation: whatever; Notes: Introduces a general category without specifying species.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: contrastive transition; Translation: but; Notes: Marks a shift from the prior general prohibition.
  3. ambulat — Lemma: ambulo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: predicate verb; Translation: walks; Notes: Describes ordinary locomotion.
  4. quidem — Lemma: quidem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: concessive emphasis; Translation: indeed; Notes: Concedes the point before introducing contrast.
  5. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: upon; Notes: Indicates surface contact.
  6. quattuor — Lemma: quattuor; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifier; Translation: four; Notes: Specifies number without inflection.
  7. pedes — Lemma: pes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine plural; Function: object of super; Translation: feet; Notes: Refers to limbs used for walking.
  8. sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: adversative link; Translation: yet; Notes: Introduces a qualifying distinction.
  9. habet — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: predicate verb; Translation: has; Notes: Indicates possession of a physical trait.
  10. longiora — Lemma: longus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative neuter plural comparative; Function: modifier of crura; Translation: longer; Notes: Comparative degree highlighting distinction.
  11. retro — Lemma: retro; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: positional modifier; Translation: behind; Notes: Specifies location of the limbs.
  12. crura — Lemma: crus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative neuter plural; Function: object of habet; Translation: legs; Notes: Refers to hind legs in animals.
  13. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: instrumentality; Translation: by; Notes: Indicates means.
  14. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative neuter plural; Function: object of per; Translation: which; Notes: Refers back to crura.
  15. salit — Lemma: salio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: leaps; Notes: Describes jumping motion.
  16. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: upon; Notes: Indicates surface of movement.
  17. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative feminine singular; Function: object of super; Translation: ground; Notes: Refers to the earth’s surface.

 

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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