Leviticus 3:16

Posted on April 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 3:16 adolebitque ea super altare sacerdos in alimoniam ignis, et suavissimi odoris. Omnis adeps, Domini erit

and the priest shall burn them upon the altar as nourishment for the fire, and as of a most sweet aroma. All fat shall belong to the LORD

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 adolebtique and he shall burn VERB, 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC -QUE
2 ea them PRON, ACC.PL.N, DEM
3 super upon PREP+ACC
4 altare altar NOUN, ACC.SG.N, 3RD DECL
5 sacerdos priest NOUN, NOM.SG.M, 3RD DECL
6 in as / into PREP+ACC
7 alimoniam nourishment NOUN, ACC.SG.F, 1ST DECL
8 ignis of the fire NOUN, GEN.SG.M, 3RD DECL
9 et and CONJ
10 suavissimi of a most sweet ADJ, GEN.SG.M, SUPER
11 odoris aroma NOUN, GEN.SG.M, 3RD DECL
12 Omnis all ADJ, NOM.SG.M, POS
13 adeps fat NOUN, NOM.SG.M, 3RD DECL
14 Domini of the LORD NOUN, GEN.SG.M, 2ND DECL
15 erit shall be VERB, 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause: adolebitque ea super altare sacerdos — the priest performs the burning of the designated portions.
Purpose/Result Phrase: in alimoniam ignis — indicates the parts serve as “nourishment” for the altar fire.
Additional Description: et suavissimi odoris — adds the aroma as part of the ritual symbolism.
Independent Statement: Omnis adeps Domini erit — legal declaration that all fat belongs to the LORD.

Morphology

  1. adolebtique — Lemma: adoleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative with enclitic -que; Function: main verb; Translation: and he shall burn; Notes: technical verb for sacrificial burning.
  2. ea — Lemma: is (ea, id); Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: them; Notes: refers to the listed organs.
  3. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses placement; Translation: upon; Notes: common in altar directions.
  4. altare — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of super; Translation: altar; Notes: refers to the bronze altar.
  5. sacerdos — Lemma: sacerdos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: priest; Notes: indicates priestly agency.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses purpose; Translation: as / into; Notes: here meaning “for.”
  7. alimoniam — Lemma: alimonia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: nourishment; Notes: metaphor for sustaining the altar fire.
  8. ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive modifier; Translation: of the fire; Notes: identifies the consuming fire.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates descriptive phrase; Translation: and; Notes: adds further description.
  10. suavissimi — Lemma: suavis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: genitive singular masculine, superlative; Function: modifies odoris; Translation: of a most sweet; Notes: sacrificial idiom of pleasing aroma.
  11. odoris — Lemma: odor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: governed by suavissimi; Translation: aroma; Notes: standard sacrificial terminology.
  12. Omnis — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies adeps; Translation: all; Notes: expresses totality.
  13. adeps — Lemma: adeps; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: fat; Notes: refers to ritual fat reserved exclusively for burning.
  14. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH and must be translated “LORD.”
  15. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: shall be; Notes: expresses legal stipulation.

 

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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