Leviticus 4:6

Posted on April 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Lv 4:6 Cumque intinxerit digitum in sanguine, asperget eo septies coram Domino contra velum Sanctuarii.

And when he has dipped his finger in the blood, he shall sprinkle it seven times before the LORD toward the veil of the Sanctuary.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 intinxerit he has dipped VERB, 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND
3 digitum finger NOUN, ACC.SG.M, 2ND DECL
4 in in PREP+ABL
5 sanguine blood NOUN, ABL.SG.M, 3RD DECL
6 asperget he shall sprinkle VERB, 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
7 eo with it PRON, ABL.SG.M/N, DEM
8 septies seven times ADV
9 coram before PREP+ABL
10 Domino the LORD NOUN, ABL.SG.M, 2ND DECL
11 contra toward PREP+ACC
12 velum veil NOUN, ACC.SG.N, 2ND DECL
13 Sanctuarii of the Sanctuary NOUN, GEN.SG.N, 2ND DECL

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque intinxerit digitum in sanguine — introduces the moment of action.
Main Clause: asperget eo septies — indicates the ritual sprinkling performed seven times.
Spatial Phrase: coram Domino — action performed before the LORD.
Directional Phrase: contra velum Sanctuarii — specifies the direction of the sprinkling toward the Sanctuary veil.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + que; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces temporal clause, with enclitic -que adding continuity; Translation: and when; Notes: common in legal ritual instructions.
  2. intinxerit — Lemma: intingo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: he has dipped; Notes: indicates action completed before sprinkling.
  3. digitum — Lemma: digitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: finger; Notes: priest’s finger used for ritual application of blood.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: in; Notes: spatial usage.
  5. sanguine — Lemma: sanguis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: blood; Notes: refers to sacrificial blood.
  6. asperget — Lemma: aspergo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall sprinkle; Notes: standard ritual verb.
  7. eo — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine/neuter; Function: instrument; Translation: with it; Notes: refers to the blood carried on the finger.
  8. septies — Lemma: septies; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: numerical adverb of frequency; Translation: seven times; Notes: symbolizes completeness.
  9. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates presence before; Translation: before; Notes: expresses divine witness.
  10. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of coram; Translation: the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  11. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses direction; Translation: toward; Notes: implies orientation, not opposition.
  12. velum — Lemma: velum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of contra; Translation: veil; Notes: refers to the inner sanctuary curtain.
  13. Sanctuarii — Lemma: Sanctuarium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: qualifies velum; Translation: of the Sanctuary; Notes: specifies sacred veil dividing holy spaces.

 

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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