Exodus 8:1

Posted on February 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 8:1 Dixit quoque Dominus ad Moysen: Ingredere ad Pharaonem, et dices ad eum: Hæc dicit Dominus: Dimitte populum meum, ut sacrificet mihi:

And the LORD also said to Moyses: “Go in to Pharao, and you shall say to him: ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go so that they may sacrifice to Me;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 quoque also ADV
3 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
6 Ingredere enter 2SG.PRES.DEP.IMP
7 ad to PREP+ACC
8 Pharaonem Pharaoh ACC.SG.M
9 et and CONJ
10 dices you will say 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
11 ad to PREP+ACC
12 eum him ACC.SG.M.PRON
13 Hæc these things NOM.PL.N.DEM
14 dicit says 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
15 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
16 Dimitte let go 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
17 populum people ACC.SG.M
18 meum my ACC.SG.M.POSS
19 ut so that CONJ
20 sacrificet may sacrifice 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
21 mihi to me DAT.SG.1ST.PRON

Syntax

Main narrative clause:
Dixit quoque Dominus ad Moysen — Subject: Dominus; verb: Dixit; indirect object: Moysen; quoque adds “also.”

Command 1:
Ingredere ad Pharaonem — Imperative Ingredere governs ad Pharaonem as goal of motion.

Command 2:
et dices ad eum — Coordinated future indicative expressing instruction; indirect object: eum.

Prophetic speech formula:
Hæc dicit Dominus — Self-introduction formula; nominative Hæc functions as neuter plural direct object of dicit.

Main divine demand:
Dimitte populum meum — Imperative + direct object + possessive modifier.

Purpose clause:
ut sacrificet mihi — Subjunctive sacrificet expresses intended purpose; mihi is the dative of advantage.

Morphology

  1. Dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main narrative verb introducing divine speech; Translation: said; Notes: perfect tense marks completed speech-act.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds “also” to the statement; Translation: also; Notes: always postpositive.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of Dixit; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH; translated “LORD.”
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: marks indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: expresses direction.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: indirect object of Dixit; Translation: Moses; Notes: name in Greek form preserved by Vulgate.
  6. Ingredere — Lemma: ingredior; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: second person singular present imperative; Function: direct command to Moses; Translation: enter; Notes: deponent form with active meaning.
  7. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: with accusative; Function: marks destination; Translation: to; Notes: indicates goal of motion.
  8. Pharaonem — Lemma: Pharao; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Pharaoh; Notes: Hebrew title preserved in Latin phonetic tradition.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: joins consecutive divine commands; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  10. dices — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future active indicative; Function: instruction phrased as future; Translation: you will say; Notes: prophetic/command future common in divine instructions.
  11. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces addressee; Translation: to; Notes: marks target of speech.
  12. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: him; Notes: refers to Pharaoh.
  13. Hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: internal object of dicit; Translation: these things; Notes: standard prophetic announcement formula.
  14. dicit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: introduces direct divine speech; Translation: says; Notes: present used as solemn proclamation.
  15. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of dicit; Translation: LORD; Notes: formulaic divine self-introduction.
  16. Dimitte — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present active imperative; Function: main divine command; Translation: let go; Notes: strong imperative demanding release.
  17. populum — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of Dimitte; Translation: people; Notes: object of release.
  18. meum — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies populum; Translation: my; Notes: expresses covenant ownership.
  19. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: triggers subjunctive verb.
  20. sacrificet — Lemma: sacrifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: may sacrifice; Notes: expresses intended worship obligation.
  21. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object; Translation: to me; Notes: dative of advantage referring to the LORD as recipient of sacrifice.

 

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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