Leviticus 4:17

Posted on April 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 4:17 tincto digito aspergens septies contra velum.

he shall dip his finger and sprinkle seven times toward the veil.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 tincto having dipped PTCP, ABL.SG.M/N, PERF.PASS
2 digito finger NOUN, ABL.SG.M, 3RD DECL
3 aspergens sprinkling PTCP, NOM.SG.M, PRES.ACT
4 septies seven times ADV
5 contra toward / against PREP+ACC
6 velum veil NOUN, ACC.SG.N, 2ND DECL

Syntax

Ablative Absolute: tincto digito — describes the prerequisite action before sprinkling (the finger dipped in blood).
Main Participial Action: aspergens septies — ritual sprinkling action performed by the priest.
Directional Phrase: contra velum — indicates that the sprinkling is directed toward the veil of the sanctuary.

Morphology

  1. tincto — Lemma: tingo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative singular masculine/neuter perfect passive participle; Function: ablative absolute with digito; Translation: having dipped; Notes: describes preparatory act with the sacrificial blood.
  2. digito — Lemma: digitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object in ablative absolute; Translation: finger; Notes: priest’s finger used for ritual sprinkling.
  3. aspergens — Lemma: aspergo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: main action performed by the priest; Translation: sprinkling; Notes: denotes repeated ritual motion.
  4. septies — Lemma: septies; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies aspergens; Translation: seven times; Notes: sevenfold sprinkling symbolizes completeness.
  5. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates direction; Translation: toward / against; Notes: specifies orientation of sprinkling toward the sanctuary veil.
  6. velum — Lemma: velum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of contra; Translation: veil; Notes: refers to the sacred veil before the Holy of Holies.

 

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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