Leviticus 16:3

Posted on April 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 16:3 nisi hæc ante fecerit: Vitulum pro peccato offeret, et arietem in holocaustum.

unless he has first done these things: He shall offer a calf for sin, and a ram as a whole burnt offering.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 nisi unless CONJ
2 hæc these things ACC.PL.N.DEM
3 ante before/first ADV
4 fecerit he has done 3SG.PERF.SUBJ.ACT
5 Vitulum calf ACC.SG.M
6 pro for PREP+ABL
7 peccato sin ABL.SG.N
8 offeret he shall offer 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
9 et and CONJ
10 arietem ram ACC.SG.M
11 in as/for PREP+ACC
12 holocaustum whole burnt offering ACC.SG.N

Syntax

Conditional Clause: nisi hæc ante fecerit — negative condition with perfect subjunctive setting a prerequisite
Main Clause: offeret (verb) + Vitulum (direct object) + pro peccato (purpose phrase)
Coordinated Object: arietem — joined by et
Purpose/Designation Phrase: in holocaustum — indicates the sacrificial category

Morphology

  1. nisi — Lemma: nisi; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces a negative condition; Translation: unless; Notes: Regularly governs a subjunctive in conditional clauses.
  2. hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative neuter plural; Function: direct object of fecerit; Translation: these things; Notes: Refers forward to the prescribed sacrificial acts.
  3. ante — Lemma: ante; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: temporal modifier; Translation: before/first; Notes: Emphasizes required prior completion.
  4. fecerit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect subjunctive active; Function: verb of the conditional clause; Translation: he has done; Notes: Perfect subjunctive expresses a completed prerequisite.
  5. Vitulum — Lemma: vitulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine singular, second declension; Function: direct object of offeret; Translation: calf; Notes: Specifies the required sin-offering animal.
  6. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: expresses purpose or substitution; Translation: for; Notes: Common in sacrificial purpose phrases.
  7. peccato — Lemma: peccatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative neuter singular, second declension; Function: object of pro; Translation: sin; Notes: Identifies the offering’s expiatory function.
  8. offeret — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future indicative active; Function: main verb of the apodosis; Translation: he shall offer; Notes: Future indicative states the mandated action.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links the two sacrificial requirements.
  10. arietem — Lemma: aries; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative masculine singular, third declension; Function: coordinated direct object; Translation: ram; Notes: Distinct from the sin offering, indicating a second rite.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: indicates purpose or result; Translation: as/for; Notes: Marks sacrificial designation.
  12. holocaustum — Lemma: holocaustum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative neuter singular, second declension; Function: object of in; Translation: whole burnt offering; Notes: Denotes an offering wholly consumed on the altar.

 

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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