Leviticus 3:4

Posted on April 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 3:4 duos renes cum adipe quo teguntur ilia, et reticulum iecoris cum renunculis.

the two kidneys with the fat by which the loins are covered, and the lobe of the liver with the little kidneys.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 duos two ADJ, ACC.PL.M, POS
2 renes kidneys NOUN, ACC.PL.M, 3RD DECL
3 cum with PREP+ABL
4 adipe fat NOUN, ABL.SG.M, 3RD DECL
5 quo by which PRON, ABL.SG.M/N, REL
6 teguntur are covered VERB, 3PL.PRES.PASS.IND
7 ilia the loins NOUN, NOM/ACC.PL.N, 3RD DECL
8 et and CONJ
9 reticulum the lobe NOUN, ACC.SG.N, 2ND DECL
10 iecoris of the liver NOUN, GEN.SG.N, 3RD DECL
11 cum with PREP+ABL
12 renunculis the little kidneys NOUN, ABL.PL.M, 2ND DECL (DIM.)

Syntax

Direct Objects: duos renes and reticulum iecoris — the anatomical parts to be offered.
Prepositional Phrases: cum adipe and cum renunculis — describe additional fat portions accompanying each part.
Relative Clause: quo teguntur ilia — specifies that the fat is the same by which the loins are covered.
Parallel Construction: Items are listed in ritual order, consistent with sacrificial anatomy.

Morphology

  1. duos — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: adjective/numeral; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies renes; Translation: two; Notes: standard enumeration of sacrificial organs.
  2. renes — Lemma: ren; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: kidneys; Notes: kidneys were required components in sacrificial burning.
  3. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces accompanying element; Translation: with; Notes: links kidneys with their surrounding fat.
  4. adipe — Lemma: adeps; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of cum; Translation: fat; Notes: ceremonially burned as the LORD’s portion.
  5. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine/neuter; Function: ablative of means in relative clause; Translation: by which; Notes: refers back to adipe.
  6. teguntur — Lemma: tego; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural present passive indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: are covered; Notes: describes anatomical covering.
  7. ilia — Lemma: ilia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative/accusative plural neuter; Function: subject of teguntur; Translation: the loins; Notes: refers to lower internal abdominal region.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins parallel items; Translation: and; Notes: continues sacrificial list.
  9. reticulum — Lemma: reticulum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: the lobe; Notes: refers to the caul or fatty lobe attached to the liver.
  10. iecoris — Lemma: iecur; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies reticulum; Translation: of the liver; Notes: identifies organ to which the lobe belongs.
  11. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses accompaniment; Translation: with; Notes: indicates that the lobe is offered with its associated organs.
  12. renunculis — Lemma: renunculus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of cum; Translation: little kidneys; Notes: diminutive form referring to small attached lobes or glandular structures.

 

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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