Leviticus 25:18

Posted on April 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 25:18 Facite præcepta mea, et iudicia custodite, et implete ea, ut habitare possitis in terra absque ullo pavore,

Carry out my precepts, and keep my judgments, and fulfill them, so that you may be able to dwell in the land without any fear.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Facite do / carry out 2PL.PRES.IMP.MOOD
2 præcepta precepts ACC.PL.N.2ND.DECL
3 mea my ACC.PL.N.POSS
4 et and CONJ
5 iudicia judgments ACC.PL.N.2ND.DECL
6 custodite keep 2PL.PRES.IMP.MOOD
7 et and CONJ
8 implete fulfill 2PL.PRES.IMP.MOOD
9 ea them ACC.PL.N.DEM
10 ut so that CONJ
11 habitare to dwell INF.PRES.ACT
12 possitis you may be able 2PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
13 in in PREP+ABL
14 terra land ABL.SG.F.1ST.DECL
15 absque without PREP+ABL
16 ullo any ABL.SG.M.INDEF.ADJ
17 pavore fear ABL.SG.M.3RD.DECL

Syntax

Series of Commands: Facite + custodite + implete — coordinated imperatives outlining required obedience.
Direct Objects: præcepta mea, iudicia, and resumptive ea — the content of obedience.
Purpose Clause: ut … possitis — introduced by ut with present subjunctive expressing intended result.
Infinitival Complement: habitare — dependent on possitis, expressing capability.
Circumstantial Phrase: in terra (location) + absque ullo pavore (manner), describing secure dwelling.

Morphology

  1. Facite — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present imperative; Function: first command; Translation: do / carry out; Notes: Calls for active performance, not mere assent.
  2. præcepta — Lemma: præceptum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter, second declension; Function: direct object of Facite; Translation: precepts; Notes: Refers to specific authoritative instructions.
  3. mea — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: modifies præcepta; Translation: my; Notes: Identifies divine ownership of the commands.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links commands into a unified obligation.
  5. iudicia — Lemma: iudicium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter, second declension; Function: direct object of custodite; Translation: judgments; Notes: Includes legal decisions and norms.
  6. custodite — Lemma: custodio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present imperative; Function: second command; Translation: keep; Notes: Emphasizes careful guarding and observance.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Continues the triadic command structure.
  8. implete — Lemma: impleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present imperative; Function: third command; Translation: fulfill; Notes: Stresses completion and faithful execution.
  9. ea — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of implete; Translation: them; Notes: Summarizes both precepts and judgments together.
  10. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose; Translation: so that; Notes: Connects obedience with its intended outcome.
  11. habitare — Lemma: habito; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: infinitival complement of possitis; Translation: to dwell; Notes: Indicates stable, ongoing residence.
  12. possitis — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present subjunctive active; Function: verb of the purpose clause; Translation: you may be able; Notes: Subjunctive required after ut expressing intended result.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: expresses location; Translation: in; Notes: Marks the sphere of dwelling.
  14. terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, first declension; Function: object of in; Translation: land; Notes: Refers to the promised territorial setting.
  15. absque — Lemma: absque; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: expresses absence; Translation: without; Notes: Introduces a condition of security.
  16. ullo — Lemma: ullus; Part of Speech: indefinite adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies pavore; Translation: any; Notes: Strengthens the negation to total absence.
  17. pavore — Lemma: pavor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, third declension; Function: object of absque; Translation: fear; Notes: Encompasses threat, anxiety, and insecurity.

 

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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