Exodus 5:17

Posted on February 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 5:17 Qui ait: Vacatis otio, et idcirco dicitis: Eamus, et sacrificemus Domino.

He said: “You are idle, and therefore you say: ‘Let us go and let us sacrifice to the LORD.’

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Qui who REL.PRON.NOM.SG.M
2 ait said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Vacatis you are idle 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
4 otio to idleness ABL.SG.N
5 et and CONJ
6 idcirco therefore ADV
7 dicitis you say 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
8 Eamus let us go 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 et and CONJ
10 sacrificemus let us sacrifice 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
11 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M

Syntax

Relative clause: Qui ait — identifies Pharaoh as the speaker.
Main clause (quotation): Vacatis otio — predicate with ablative of cause/instrument.
Causal adverb: idcirco — introduces the rationale Pharaoh assigns to their request.
Quoted statement continues: dicitis: Eamus, et sacrificemus Domino — subjunctives expressing intended action.
Dative complement: Domino — indirect object of religious devotion; translated “LORD” because Domino refers to YHWH.

Morphology

  1. Qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of ait; Translation: who; Notes: refers to Pharaoh.
  2. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: verb of speaking; Translation: said; Notes: often used where English expects a past tense.
  3. Vacatis — Lemma: vaco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active indicative; Function: predicate; Translation: you are idle; Notes: Pharaoh accuses Israel of laziness.
  4. otio — Lemma: otium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of cause/instrument; Translation: to idleness; Notes: expresses reason for alleged idleness.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: connects clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordinator.
  6. idcirco — Lemma: idcirco; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: causal; Function: modifies dicitis; Translation: therefore; Notes: states Pharaoh’s interpretation of Israel’s motives.
  7. dicitis — Lemma:</b) dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active indicative; Function: verb of the quoted accusation; Translation: you say; Notes: introduces direct speech.
  8. Eamus — Lemma: eo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person plural present active subjunctive; Function: hortatory subjunctive; Translation: let us go; Notes: expresses request to depart.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: links subjunctives; Translation: and; Notes: joins coordinated intentions.
  10. sacrificemus — Lemma: sacrifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person plural present active subjunctive; Function: hortatory subjunctive; Translation: let us sacrifice; Notes: expresses religious purpose.
  11. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH → translated as “LORD.”

 

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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