Leviticus 18:22

Posted on April 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 18:22 Cum masculo non commiscearis coitu femineo, quia abominatio est.

With a male you shall not have relations as with a woman’s intercourse, for it is an abomination.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cum with PREP+ABL
2 masculo male ABL.SG.M
3 non not ADV
4 commiscearis you-mix / have-relations 2SG.PRES.DEP.SUBJ
5 coitu intercourse ABL.SG.M
6 femineo female ABL.SG.M.ADJ
7 quia for CONJ
8 abominatio abomination NOM.SG.F
9 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Primary Prohibition: non commiscearis — negative subjunctive expressing absolute legal prohibition
Prepositional Phrase: cum masculo — specifies the prohibited partner
Ablative of Manner: coitu femineo — defines the mode of intercourse being excluded
Causal Clause: quia abominatio est — states the moral rationale

Morphology

  1. Cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: association; Translation: with; Notes: Introduces the prohibited relational partner.
  2. masculo — Lemma: masculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative masculine singular, second declension; Function: object of cum; Translation: male; Notes: Identifies the sex of the partner.
  3. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: Marks absolute prohibition.
  4. commiscearis — Lemma: commisceor; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present subjunctive deponent; Function: main predicate; Translation: you should have relations; Notes: Deponent verb; subjunctive used for prohibitive force.
  5. coitu — Lemma: coitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative masculine singular, fourth declension; Function: ablative of manner; Translation: intercourse; Notes: Specifies the sexual act.
  6. femineo — Lemma: femineus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative masculine singular; Function: modifies coitu; Translation: female; Notes: Qualifies the type of intercourse.
  7. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: causal connector; Translation: for; Notes: Introduces the stated reason.
  8. abominatio — Lemma: abominatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative feminine singular, third declension; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: abomination; Notes: Strong cultic and moral judgment.
  9. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present indicative active; Function: copula; Translation: is; Notes: Asserts the evaluation as a fact.

 

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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