Exodus 8:8

Posted on February 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 8:8 Vocavit autem Pharao Moysen et Aaron, et dixit eis: Orate Dominum ut auferat ranas a me et a populo meo: et dimittam populum ut sacrificet Domino.

And Pharao called Moyses and Aaron, and he said to them: “Pray to the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people, and I will let the people go so that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vocavit called 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 autem however / then ADV
3 Pharao Pharaoh NOM.SG.M
4 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 Aaron Aaron ACC.SG.M
7 et and CONJ
8 dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 eis to them DAT.PL.PRON
10 Orate pray 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP
11 Dominum LORD ACC.SG.M
12 ut that CONJ
13 auferat may take away 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
14 ranas frogs ACC.PL.F
15 a from PREP+ABL
16 me me ABL.SG.PRON
17 et and CONJ
18 a from PREP+ABL
19 populo people ABL.SG.M
20 meo my ABL.SG.M.POSS
21 et and CONJ
22 dimittam I will let go 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
23 populum people ACC.SG.M
24 ut that CONJ
25 sacrificet may sacrifice 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
26 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M

Syntax

Main clause:
• Vocavit autem Pharao Moysen et Aaron — Subject: Pharao; Verb: Vocavit; Objects: Moysen, Aaron.

Speech clause:
• et dixit eis — “and he said to them.”

Content of Pharaoh’s request:
• Orate Dominum — Imperative: “Pray to the LORD.”
• Purpose clause:
• ut auferat ranas — “that He may take away the frogs.”
• Ablative separation: a me, a populo meo.

Pharaoh’s promise:
• et dimittam populum — Future commitment.
• Purpose clause: ut sacrificet Domino — “that the people may sacrifice to the LORD.”

The sentence combines petition, reason, and promise in a tightly coordinated structure.

Morphology

  1. Vocavit — Lemma: voco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: called; Notes: introduces Pharaoh’s reaction.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb/postpositive; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds narrative progression; Translation: however / then; Notes: mild contrast.
  3. Pharao — Lemma: Pharao; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Pharaoh; Notes: Egyptian royal title.
  4. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: Moses; Notes: Latin form of Moshe.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links objects; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates persons called.
  6. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: Aaron; Notes: Hebrew name Aharon.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links second clause; Translation: and; Notes: beginning of reported speech.
  8. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: introduces direct speech; Translation: said; Notes: standard narrative perfect.
  9. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: to them; Notes: refers to Moses and Aaron.
  10. Orate — Lemma: oro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd plural present active imperative; Function: Pharaoh’s request; Translation: pray; Notes: command issued desperately.
  11. Dominum — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of Orate; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  12. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: that; Notes: takes subjunctive.
  13. auferat — Lemma: aufero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose; Translation: may take away; Notes: expresses Pharaoh’s petition.
  14. ranas — Lemma: rana; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of auferat; Translation: frogs; Notes: object of removal.
  15. a — Lemma: a/ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: with ablative; Function: introduces separation; Translation: from; Notes: used before consonant.
  16. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative singular; Function: object of separation; Translation: me; Notes: personal harm.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds second ablative phrase; Translation: and; Notes: parallel structure.
  18. a — Lemma: a/ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: with ablative; Function: separation; Translation: from; Notes: repetition emphasizes scope.
  19. populo — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of a; Translation: people; Notes: Pharaoh’s subjects.
  20. meo — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies populo; Translation: my; Notes: stresses relationship.
  21. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: introduces promise; Translation: and; Notes: sequential.
  22. dimittam — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st singular future active indicative; Function: Pharaoh’s pledge; Translation: I will let go; Notes: anticipates later resistance.
  23. populum — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: people; Notes: refers to Israel.
  24. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  25. sacrificet — Lemma: sacrifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular present active subjunctive; Function: expresses the intended purpose of release; Translation: may sacrifice; Notes: religious terminology.
  26. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.

 

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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