Leviticus 22:22

Posted on April 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 22:22 Si cæcum fuerit, si fractum, si cicatricem habens, si papulas, aut scabiem, aut impetiginem: non offeretis ea Domino, nec adolebitis ex eis super altare Domini.

If it is blind, if broken, if having a scar, if sores, or scab, or impetigo, you shall not offer them to the LORD, nor shall you burn them from these upon the altar of the LORD.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Si if CONJ
2 cæcum blind NOM.SG.N.ADJ
3 fuerit has been 3SG.PERF.ACT.SUBJ
4 si if CONJ
5 fractum broken NOM.SG.N.PTCP
6 si if CONJ
7 cicatricem scar ACC.SG.F
8 habens having NOM.SG.N.PTCP
9 si if CONJ
10 papulas sores ACC.PL.F
11 aut or CONJ
12 scabiem scab ACC.SG.F
13 aut or CONJ
14 impetiginem impetigo ACC.SG.F
15 non not ADV
16 offeretis you shall offer 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND
17 ea them ACC.PL.N.PERS
18 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
19 nec nor CONJ
20 adolebitis you shall burn 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND
21 ex from PREP+ABL
22 eis them ABL.PL.N.PERS
23 super upon PREP+ACC
24 altare altar ACC.SG.N
25 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Series of Conditional Protases: Si cæcum fuerit … si fractum … si cicatricem habens … si papulas aut scabiem aut impetiginem — a cumulative list of disqualifying defects.
Primary Prohibition: non offeretis ea Domino — absolute ban on presentation to YHWH.
Coordinated Cultic Prohibition: nec adolebitis ex eis super altare Domini — forbids burning such animals on the altar.

Morphology

  1. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces a condition; Translation: “if”; Notes: Opens a legal protasis.
  2. cæcum — Lemma: cæcus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: nominative neuter singular; Function: predicate adjective with fuerit; Translation: “blind”; Notes: Visual defect disqualifying the offering.
  3. fuerit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: third person singular perfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of the conditional clause; Translation: “has been”; Notes: Perfect subjunctive in legal conditions.
  4. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces a further condition; Translation: “if”; Notes: Repetition emphasizes inclusiveness.
  5. fractum — Lemma: frango; Part of Speech: Verb (perfect participle); Form: nominative neuter singular; Function: predicate descriptor; Translation: “broken”; Notes: Physical injury rendering the animal unacceptable.
  6. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: continues conditions; Translation: “if”; Notes: Maintains parallel structure.
  7. cicatricem — Lemma: cicatrix; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative feminine singular; Function: object of habens; Translation: “scar”; Notes: Indicates healed but permanent damage.
  8. habens — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: Verb (present participle); Form: nominative neuter singular; Function: modifies the implied subject; Translation: “having”; Notes: Describes a continuing condition.
  9. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces another condition; Translation: “if”; Notes: Expands the defect list.
  10. papulas — Lemma: papula; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative feminine plural; Function: object implied with condition; Translation: “sores”; Notes: Visible skin eruptions.
  11. aut — Lemma: aut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: presents alternatives; Translation: “or”; Notes: Disjunctive coordination.
  12. scabiem — Lemma: scabies; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative feminine singular; Function: alternative defect; Translation: “scab”; Notes: Contagious skin condition.
  13. aut — Lemma: aut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: presents another alternative; Translation: “or”; Notes: Continues disjunction.
  14. impetiginem — Lemma: impetigo; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative feminine singular; Function: final defect in the list; Translation: “impetigo”; Notes: Infectious skin disease.
  15. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates offeretis; Translation: “not”; Notes: Absolute prohibition.
  16. offeretis — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: second person plural future active indicative; Function: main prohibition; Translation: “you shall offer”; Notes: Future indicative used legislatively.
  17. ea — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: Personal pronoun; Form: accusative neuter plural; Function: direct object of offeretis; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers to the defective animals.
  18. Domino — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: dative masculine singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to the LORD”; Notes: Refers to YHWH.
  19. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates a second negation; Translation: “nor”; Notes: Strengthens the prohibition.
  20. adolebitis — Lemma: adoleo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: second person plural future active indicative; Function: forbids burning the offering; Translation: “you shall burn”; Notes: Specifically cultic burning on the altar.
  21. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: source; Translation: “from”; Notes: Indicates the defective items.
  22. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: Personal pronoun; Form: ablative neuter plural; Function: object of ex; Translation: “them”; Notes: Refers back to the animals.
  23. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: location; Translation: “upon”; Notes: Sacrificial placement.
  24. altare — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative neuter singular; Function: object of super; Translation: “altar”; Notes: Central cultic structure.
  25. Domini — Lemma: dominus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive masculine singular; Function: modifies altare; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: Belonging to YHWH.

 

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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