Leviticus 3:12

Posted on April 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 3:12 Si capra fuerit eius oblatio, et obtulerit eam Domino,

If his offering is a goat, and he offers it to the LORD,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 si if CONJ
2 capra a goat NOUN, NOM.SG.F, 1ST DECL
3 fuerit shall be VERB, 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
4 eius his PRON, GEN.SG.M/N, POSS
5 oblatio offering NOUN, NOM.SG.F, 3RD DECL
6 et and CONJ
7 obtulerit he offers VERB, 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
8 eam it PRON, ACC.SG.F, DEM
9 Domino to the LORD NOUN, DAT.SG.M, 2ND DECL

Syntax

Conditional Protasis: si capra fuerit eius oblatio — sets the condition where the offerer brings a goat as the peace-offering.
Coordinated Clause: et obtulerit eam Domino — describes the presentation of the goat to the LORD.
Structure: Standard sacrificial legal formula using future-perfect verbs to outline procedural conditions.

Morphology

  1. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces conditional clause; Translation: if; Notes: opens a new sacrificial case.
  2. capra — Lemma: capra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: a goat; Notes: female goat specified for peace offerings.
  3. fuerit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: verb of protasis; Translation: shall be; Notes: formulaic in legal sacrificial texts.
  4. eius — Lemma: eius; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine/neuter; Function: possessive modifier; Translation: his; Notes: refers to the person bringing the sacrifice.
  5. oblatio — Lemma: oblatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: offering; Notes: subject complement describing the sacrificial item.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: links protasis to subordinate action.
  7. obtulerit — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: subordinate verb; Translation: he offers; Notes: ritual act of presentation.
  8. eam — Lemma: is (ea, id); Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine demonstrative; Function: direct object; Translation: it; Notes: refers back to capra.
  9. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH and must be rendered “LORD.”

 

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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