Leviticus 13:15

Posted on April 13, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 13:15 tunc sacerdotis iudicio polluetur, et inter immundos reputabitur. caro enim viva si lepra aspergitur, immunda est.

then by the judgment of the priest he shall be declared unclean, and he shall be reckoned among the unclean. For living flesh if it is sprinkled with leprosy, is unclean.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 tunc then ADV
2 sacerdotis of the priest GEN.SG.M
3 iudicio by the judgment ABL.SG.N
4 polluetur he shall be declared unclean 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND
5 et and CONJ
6 inter among PREP+ACC
7 immundos the unclean ACC.PL.M ADJ.POS
8 reputabitur he shall be reckoned 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND
9 caro flesh NOM.SG.F
10 enim for CONJ
11 viva living NOM.SG.F ADJ.POS
12 si if CONJ
13 lepra with leprosy ABL.SG.F
14 aspergitur is sprinkled 3SG.PRES.PASS.IND
15 immunda unclean NOM.SG.F ADJ.POS
16 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Temporal Adverb: tunc marks the moment of decision following the appearance of living flesh.
Ablative of Means: sacerdotis iudicio specifies that the declaration is made by priestly authority.
Main Clause: polluetur delivers the formal verdict of impurity.
Prepositional Phrase: inter immundos expresses classification within the unclean community.
Secondary Main Clause: reputabitur reinforces the legal status.
Causal-Conditional Explanation: caro enim viva si lepra aspergitur immunda est states the principle grounding the ruling.

Morphology

  1. tunc — Lemma: tunc; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: temporal marker; Translation: then; Notes: Introduces the consequent judgment.
  2. sacerdotis — Lemma: sacerdos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies iudicio; Translation: of the priest; Notes: Identifies the authorized judge.
  3. iudicio — Lemma: iudicium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of means; Translation: by the judgment; Notes: The formal decision-making act.
  4. polluetur — Lemma: polluo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future passive indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall be declared unclean; Notes: Passive highlights authoritative declaration.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates clauses; Translation: and; Notes: Joins parallel rulings.
  6. inter — Lemma: inter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: marks inclusion; Translation: among; Notes: Indicates social-ritual grouping.
  7. immundos — Lemma: immundus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: accusative plural masculine positive; Function: object of inter; Translation: the unclean; Notes: Refers to those ritually impure.
  8. reputabitur — Lemma: reputo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future passive indicative; Function: secondary main verb; Translation: he shall be reckoned; Notes: Confirms assigned status.
  9. caro — Lemma: caro; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: flesh; Notes: Refers to exposed living tissue.
  10. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: postpositive; Function: introduces explanation; Translation: for; Notes: Grounds the preceding judgment.
  11. viva — Lemma: vivus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive; Function: modifies caro; Translation: living; Notes: Distinguishes from dead or healed tissue.
  12. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: conditional; Function: introduces condition; Translation: if; Notes: Sets the diagnostic criterion.
  13. lepra — Lemma: lepra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of means; Translation: with leprosy; Notes: Agent affecting the flesh.
  14. aspergitur — Lemma: aspergo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present passive indicative; Function: verb of condition; Translation: is sprinkled; Notes: Passive denotes contact or affliction.
  15. immunda — Lemma: immundus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: unclean; Notes: Declares ritual status.
  16. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: is; Notes: States a general principle.

 

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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