Leviticus 16:15

Posted on April 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 16:15 Cumque mactaverit hircum pro peccato populi, inferet sanguinem eius intra velum, sicut præceptum est de sanguine vituli, ut aspergat e regione oraculi,

And when he has slaughtered the goat for the sin of the people, he shall bring its blood inside the veil, just as it was commanded concerning the blood of the calf, so that he may sprinkle it opposite the oracle,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and-when CONJ+CONJ
2 mactaverit he-has-slaughtered 3SG.PERF.SUBJ.ACT
3 hircum goat ACC.SG.M
4 pro for PREP+ABL
5 peccato sin ABL.SG.N
6 populi people GEN.SG.M
7 inferet he-shall-bring-in 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
8 sanguinem blood ACC.SG.M
9 eius of-it GEN.SG.M.PRON.POSS
10 intra inside PREP+ACC
11 velum veil ACC.SG.N
12 sicut just-as CONJ
13 præceptum commanded NOM.SG.N
14 est is/was 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
15 de concerning PREP+ABL
16 sanguine blood ABL.SG.M
17 vituli calf GEN.SG.M
18 ut so-that CONJ
19 aspergat he-may-sprinkle 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
20 e from PREP+ABL
21 regione region/area ABL.SG.F
22 oraculi oracle GEN.SG.N

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque mactaverit hircum — circumstantial clause with perfect subjunctive
Purpose Phrase: pro peccato populi — specifies the expiatory intent
Main Clause: inferet sanguinem eius — prescribed ritual action
Locative Phrase: intra velum — sacred boundary crossed
Comparative Clause: sicut præceptum est de sanguine vituli — conformity to prior instruction
Purpose Clause: ut aspergat e regione oraculi — intended ritual application

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction with enclitic; Form: temporal conjunction + -que; Function: introduces a circumstantial clause; Translation: and when; Notes: Links the action sequentially to prior rites.
  2. mactaverit — Lemma: macto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect subjunctive active; Function: verb of the temporal clause; Translation: he has slaughtered; Notes: Marks a completed prerequisite act.
  3. hircum — Lemma: hircus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine singular, second declension; Function: direct object of mactaverit; Translation: goat; Notes: The animal designated for the people’s sin.
  4. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: expresses purpose; Translation: for; Notes: Common sacrificial idiom.
  5. peccato — Lemma: peccatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative neuter singular, second declension; Function: object of pro; Translation: sin; Notes: Identifies the expiatory nature of the rite.
  6. populi — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive masculine singular, second declension; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the people; Notes: Specifies the beneficiaries of the atonement.
  7. inferet — Lemma: infero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future indicative active; Function: main predicate; Translation: he shall bring in; Notes: Describes ritual conveyance of blood.
  8. sanguinem — Lemma: sanguis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine singular, third declension; Function: direct object of inferet; Translation: blood; Notes: Central medium of expiation.
  9. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: genitive masculine singular; Function: modifies sanguinem; Translation: of it; Notes: Refers to the goat.
  10. intra — Lemma: intra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: indicates motion within; Translation: inside; Notes: Marks entry into restricted space.
  11. velum — Lemma: velum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative neuter singular, second declension; Function: object of intra; Translation: veil; Notes: Separates the holy zones.
  12. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: just as; Notes: Establishes ritual consistency.
  13. præceptum — Lemma: præceptum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative neuter singular, second declension; Function: subject of est; Translation: commanded; Notes: Refers to an established instruction.
  14. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: is/was; Notes: States an authoritative directive.
  15. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: expresses reference; Translation: concerning; Notes: Introduces the comparison topic.
  16. sanguine — Lemma: sanguis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative masculine singular; Function: object of de; Translation: blood; Notes: Refers to the earlier ritual model.
  17. vituli — Lemma: vitulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive masculine singular; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the calf; Notes: Links the rite to the prior sacrifice.
  18. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose; Translation: so that; Notes: Governs the subjunctive.
  19. aspergat — Lemma: aspergo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present subjunctive active; Function: verb of the purpose clause; Translation: he may sprinkle; Notes: Specifies ritual application.
  20. e — Lemma: e/ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: expresses position with respect to; Translation: from; Notes: Indicates relative location.
  21. regione — Lemma: regio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative feminine singular, third declension; Function: object of e; Translation: region/area; Notes: Denotes facing position.
  22. oraculi — Lemma: oraculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive neuter singular, second declension; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the oracle; Notes: Identifies the sacred focal point.

 

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.