Exodus 5:18

Posted on February 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 5:18 Ite ergo, et operamini: paleæ non dabuntur vobis, et reddetis consuetum numerum laterum.

Go therefore, and work; straw will not be given to you, and you shall render the customary number of bricks.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ite go 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
2 ergo therefore ADV
3 et and CONJ
4 operamini work 2PL.PRES.DEP.IMP
5 paleæ straw NOM.PL.F
6 non not ADV
7 dabuntur will be given 3PL.FUT.PASS.IND
8 vobis to you DAT.PL
9 et and CONJ
10 reddetis you shall render 2PL.FUT.ACT.IND
11 consuetum customary ACC.SG.M
12 numerum number ACC.SG.M
13 laterum of bricks GEN.PL.M

Syntax

Imperative command: Ite ergo, et operamini — Pharaoh issues a two-part command (“go” and “work”).
Future passive clause: paleæ non dabuntur vobis — deprivation of straw stated as a fixed future policy.
Coordinated future obligation: et reddetis consuetum numerum laterum — the same quota must still be delivered.
Object phrase: consuetum numerum laterum — direct object of reddetis, specifying the required quota.

Morphology

  1. Ite — Lemma: eo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active imperative; Function: command; Translation: go; Notes: begins Pharaoh’s authoritative order.
  2. ergo — Lemma: ergo; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: inferential; Function: links command to previous statement; Translation: therefore; Notes: adversarial tone.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: connects imperatives; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  4. operamini — Lemma: operor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: second person plural present deponent imperative; Function: command; Translation: work; Notes: deponent in form but active in meaning.
  5. paleæ — Lemma: palea; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of dabuntur; Translation: straw; Notes: critical missing material.
  6. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: negation; Function: negates dabuntur; Translation: not; Notes: absolute refusal.
  7. dabuntur — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural future passive indicative; Function: verb of future policy; Translation: will be given; Notes: expresses enduring denial.
  8. vobis — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: to you; Notes: Israelite laborers.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: coordinates with previous clause; Translation: and; Notes: continues command sequence.
  10. reddetis — Lemma: reddo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall render; Notes: expresses obligation.
  11. consuetum — Lemma: consuetus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies numerum; Translation: customary; Notes: refers to established quota.
  12. numerum — Lemma: numerus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of reddetis; Translation: number; Notes: indicates the fixed tally.
  13. laterum — Lemma: later; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: genitive modifying numerum; Translation: of bricks; Notes: indicates what is being counted.

 

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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