Leviticus 4:20

Posted on April 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 4:20 sic faciens et de hoc vitulo quo modo fecit et prius: et rogante pro eis sacerdote, propitius erit eis Dominus.

thus doing with this bull as he did before; and when the priest prays for them, the LORD will be favorable to them.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sic thus ADV
2 faciens doing PTCP, NOM.SG.M, PRES.ACT
3 et and CONJ
4 de with / concerning PREP+ABL
5 hoc this PRON/ADJ, ABL.SG.N, DEM
6 vitulo bull NOUN, ABL.SG.M, 2ND DECL
7 quo as PRON, ABL.SG.M/N, REL
8 modo way NOUN, ABL.SG.M, 4TH DECL
9 fecit he did VERB, 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
10 et and CONJ
11 prius before ADV
12 et and CONJ
13 rogante praying PTCP, ABL.SG.M, PRES.ACT
14 pro for PREP+ABL
15 eis them PRON, ABL.PL.M/F, PERS
16 sacerdote priest NOUN, ABL.SG.M, 3RD DECL
17 propitius favorable ADJ, NOM.SG.M
18 erit will be VERB, 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
19 eis to them PRON, DAT.PL.M/F, PERS
20 Dominus the LORD NOUN, NOM.SG.M, 2ND DECL

Syntax

Participial Construction: sic faciens — describes the priest’s continuous ritual action: “doing thus.”
Extended Phrase: et de hoc vitulo quo modo fecit et prius — comparison clause showing that the same ritual procedure is repeated.
Ablative Absolute: rogante pro eis sacerdote — the priest praying on their behalf provides the circumstance under which divine favor is granted.
Main Clause: propitius erit eis Dominus — the LORD will be favorable to them.

Morphology

  1. sic — Lemma: sic; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies faciens; Translation: thus; Notes: marks ritual continuity.
  2. faciens — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: describes ongoing action; Translation: doing; Notes: continuous ritual performance.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: links clauses.
  4. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: specifies involvement; Translation: with / concerning; Notes: marks relation to the bull.
  5. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun/adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies vitulo; Translation: this; Notes: identifies specific sacrificial bull.
  6. vitulo — Lemma: vitulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of de; Translation: bull; Notes: sacrificial animal.
  7. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine/neuter; Function: introduces comparison clause; Translation: as; Notes: ablative of manner.
  8. modo — Lemma: modus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of manner; Translation: way; Notes: expresses procedural similarity.
  9. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb in comparison clause; Translation: he did; Notes: refers to earlier ritual.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: adds prior action; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordinator.
  11. prius — Lemma: prius; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: temporal modifier; Translation: before; Notes: marks earlier ritual stage.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: transitions to new clause; Translation: and; Notes: introduces ablative absolute.
  13. rogante — Lemma: rogo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative singular masculine present active participle; Function: part of ablative absolute; Translation: praying; Notes: intercessory action by the priest.
  14. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: denotes benefit; Translation: for; Notes: expresses intercessory purpose.
  15. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative plural masculine/feminine; Function: object of pro; Translation: them; Notes: refers to the congregation.
  16. sacerdote — Lemma: sacerdos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative absolute agent; Translation: priest; Notes: performing intercession.
  17. propitius — Lemma: propitius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective with erit; Translation: favorable; Notes: expresses divine acceptance.
  18. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of clause; Translation: will be; Notes: denotes promised divine response.
  19. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural masculine/feminine; Function: indirect object of erit; Translation: to them; Notes: recipients of divine favor.
  20. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of erit; Translation: the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.

 

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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