Exodus 5:23

Posted on February 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 5:23 Ex eo enim quo ingressus sum ad Pharaonem ut loquerer in nomine tuo, afflixit populum tuum: et non liberasti eos.

For from the moment that I entered to Pharao to speak in Your name, he has afflicted Your people, and You have not freed them.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ex from PREP+ABL
2 eo that (time) ABL.SG.N.DEMONSTR
3 enim for PART
4 quo from which / since ABL.SG.N.REL/CONJ
5 ingressus having entered NOM.SG.M.PERF.PASS.PART
6 sum I have 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 ad to PREP+ACC
8 Pharaonem Pharaoh ACC.SG.M
9 ut to / in order to CONJ
10 loquerer I might speak 1SG.IMPFT.SUBJ.DEP
11 in in PREP+ABL
12 nomine name ABL.SG.N
13 tuo Your ABL.SG.N
14 afflixit he has afflicted 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
15 populum people ACC.SG.M
16 tuum Your ACC.SG.M
17 et and CONJ
18 non not ADV
19 liberasti you have freed 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
20 eos them ACC.PL.M

Syntax

Temporal/causal frame: Ex eo enim quo ingressus sum ad Pharaonem — “from the time that I entered to Pharaoh,” perfect participle + est, expressing a past completed action.
Final clause: ut loquerer in nomine tuo — imperfect subjunctive giving purpose (“to speak in Your name”).
Main assertion: afflixit populum tuum — Pharaoh’s harmful action upon YHWH’s people.
Coordinated clause: et non liberasti eos — Moses’ accusation directed at the LORD’s (YHWH’s) apparent inaction.

Morphology

  1. Ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: marks origin/time; Translation: from; Notes: idiomatically temporal.
  2. eo — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of ex; Translation: that (time); Notes: refers to a moment in the past.
  3. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: particle; Function: explanatory; Translation: for; Notes: connects explanation to complaint.
  4. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun/conjunction; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: from which / since; Notes: temporal value.
  5. ingressus — Lemma: ingredior; Part of Speech: participle (deponent); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect passive participle; Function: part of periphrastic perfect; Translation: having entered; Notes: deponent in form, active in meaning.
  6. sum — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary; Translation: I have; Notes: completes perfect construction.
  7. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: direction; Translation: to; Notes: indicates movement toward Pharaoh.
  8. Pharaonem — Lemma: Pharao; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Pharaoh; Notes: the ruler addressed.
  9. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: introduces final clause; Translation: to / in order to; Notes: purpose clause with subjunctive.
  10. loquerer — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: first person singular imperfect subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: I might speak; Notes: deponent construction.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses manner; Translation: in; Notes: idiomatic with authority formula.
  12. nomine — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: name; Notes: formula of delegated authority.
  13. tuo — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: pronoun/adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies nomine; Translation: Your; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  14. afflixit — Lemma: affligo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he has afflicted; Notes: describes Pharaoh’s oppression.
  15. populum — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of afflixit; Translation: people; Notes: refers to Israel.
  16. tuum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies populum; Translation: Your; Notes: identifies Israel as YHWH’s people.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: connects second accusation.
  18. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: sharpens Moses’ complaint.
  19. liberasti — Lemma: libero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you have freed; Notes: accusatory tone toward YHWH.
  20. eos — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of liberasti; Translation: them; Notes: refers to the Israelites.

 

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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