Leviticus 26:21

Posted on April 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

21 Si ambulaveritis ex adverso mihi, nec volueritis audire me, addam plagas vestras in septuplum propter peccata vestra:

If you walk in opposition to me and are unwilling to listen to me, I will add your plagues sevenfold because of your sins,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Si if CONJ
2 ambulaveritis you will have walked 2PL.FUTP.IND.ACT
3 ex out of / in PREP+ABL
4 adverso opposition ABL.SG.N.ADJ
5 mihi to me DAT.SG.1.PERS.PRON
6 nec and not CONJ
7 volueritis you will have been willing 2PL.FUTP.IND.ACT
8 audire to listen INF
9 me me ACC.SG.1.PERS.PRON
10 addam I will add 1SG.FUT.IND.ACT
11 plagas plagues ACC.PL.F.1ST.DECL
12 vestras your ACC.PL.F.POSS.ADJ
13 in to PREP+ACC
14 septuplum sevenfold ADV
15 propter because of PREP+ACC
16 peccata sins ACC.PL.N.2ND.DECL
17 vestra your ACC.PL.N.POSS.ADJ

Syntax

Escalated Conditional: Si ambulaveritis ex adverso mihi — future perfect protasis depicting persistent, settled opposition toward the divine will.
Volitional Refusal: nec volueritis audire me — coordinated future perfect highlighting not merely failure, but unwillingness to listen.
Judicial Escalation: addam plagas vestras in septuplum — future indicative announcing intensified punishment.
Causal Basis: propter peccata vestra — explicit grounding of judgment in moral fault.

Morphology

  1. Si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: conditional marker; Translation: if; Notes: Introduces a renewed and intensified condition.
  2. ambulaveritis — Lemma: ambulo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural future perfect indicative active; Function: verb of the protasis; Translation: you will have walked; Notes: Idiomatic for sustained conduct or way of life.
  3. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the ablative; Function: manner/source; Translation: in; Notes: Forms an idiom with adverso.
  4. adverso — Lemma: adversus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of ex; Translation: opposition; Notes: Fixed expression meaning “in hostility” or “in defiance.”
  5. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: dative singular first person; Function: dative of reference; Translation: to me; Notes: Opposition is directed personally against the divine speaker.
  6. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: negative coordination; Translation: and not; Notes: Adds a second dimension of rebellion.
  7. volueritis — Lemma: volo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural future perfect indicative active; Function: verb of the protasis; Translation: you will have been willing; Notes: Highlights obstinate refusal, not ignorance.
  8. audire — Lemma: audio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: to listen; Notes: Listening implies obedience and response.
  9. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular first person; Function: direct object; Translation: me; Notes: Refusal is directed at the divine speaker himself.
  10. addam — Lemma: addo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular future indicative active; Function: main verb; Translation: I will add; Notes: Indicates cumulative judgment.
  11. plagas — Lemma: plaga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine, first declension; Function: direct object; Translation: plagues; Notes: Physical and societal afflictions.
  12. vestras — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies plagas; Translation: your; Notes: Assigns the penalties to the offenders.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: degree/result; Translation: to; Notes: Expresses measure or extent.
  14. septuplum — Lemma: septuplus; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: multiplier; Translation: sevenfold; Notes: Idiom for complete and intensified punishment.
  15. propter — Lemma: propter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing the accusative; Function: cause; Translation: because of; Notes: States the moral basis of judgment.
  16. peccata — Lemma: peccatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter, second declension; Function: object of propter; Translation: sins; Notes: Violations of divine command.
  17. vestra — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: modifies peccata; Translation: your; Notes: Emphasizes responsibility.

 

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.