Exodus 2:20

Posted on February 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 2:20 At ille: Ubi est? inquit, Quare dimisistis hominem? vocate eum ut comedat panem.

But he said: “Where is he? Why have you let the man go? Call him, that he may eat bread.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 At but CONJ
2 ille he NOM.SG.M DEM
3 Ubi where ADV.INTERROG
4 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 inquit said he 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND (DEFECTIVE)
6 Quare why ADV.INTERROG
7 dimisistis you let go 2PL.PERF.ACT.IND
8 hominem the man ACC.SG.M
9 vocate call 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
10 eum him ACC.SG.M PRON
11 ut that CONJ (PURPOSE)
12 comedat may eat 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
13 panem bread ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause:
At ille: Ubi est? — “But he said: Where is he?”
• ille = Raguel.
• Ubi est? = direct question locating Moses.

Second Direct Question:
Quare dimisistis hominem? — “Why have you let the man go?”
• dimisistis = perfect indicative, completed action.
• hominem = Moses, whom they only know as an “Egyptian.”

Imperative + Purpose Clause:
vocate eum ut comedat panem — “call him, that he may eat bread.”
• vocate = command directed to the daughters.
• ut + subjunctive = purpose (“so that…”).
• panem = idiom for receiving hospitality.

Morphology

  1. At — Lemma: at; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Marks Raguel’s reaction differing from his daughters’ report.
  2. ille — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “he”; Notes: Refers to Raguel, setting him as speaker.
  3. Ubi — Lemma: ubi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: interrogative; Function: introduces question; Translation: “where”; Notes: Opens urgent inquiry.
  4. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular present active indicative; Function: main verb of question; Translation: “is”; Notes: Neutral copula.
  5. inquit — Lemma: inquam; Part of Speech: defective verb; Form: 3rd singular present active indicative; Function: introduces quoted speech; Translation: “said he”; Notes: Standard narrative formula for embedded speech.
  6. Quare — Lemma: quare; Part of Speech: interrogative adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces reason-question; Translation: “why”; Notes: Indicates displeasure at daughters’ omission.
  7. dimisistis — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd plural perfect active indicative; Function: verb of completed action; Translation: “you let go”; Notes: Reproof for failing to honor Moses.
  8. hominem — Lemma: homo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of dimisistis; Translation: “the man”; Notes: Refers to Moses, still unnamed.
  9. vocate — Lemma: voco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd plural present active imperative; Function: command; Translation: “call”; Notes: Direct instruction to summon Moses back.
  10. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of vocate; Translation: “him”; Notes: Distinguishes Moses from the shepherds.
  11. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: purpose marker; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Classical purpose construction with subjunctive.
  12. comedat — Lemma: comedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb in purpose clause; Translation: “may eat”; Notes: Subjunctive marks intended result.
  13. panem — Lemma: panis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of comedat; Translation: “bread”; Notes: Idiom for sharing table fellowship and hospitality.

 

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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