Exodus 8:31

Posted on February 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 8:31 Qui fecit iuxta verbum illius: et abstulit muscas a Pharaone, et a servis suis, et a populo eius: non superfuit ne una quidem.

And He did according to his word, and He removed the flies from Pharao, and from his servants, and from his people; not even one remained.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Qui who NOM.SG.M (REL)
2 fecit did 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
4 verbum word ACC.SG.N
5 illius of him GEN.SG.M
6 et and CONJ
7 abstulit removed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 muscas flies ACC.PL.F
9 a from PREP+ABL
10 Pharaone Pharao ABL.SG.M
11 et and CONJ
12 a from PREP+ABL
13 servis servants ABL.PL.M
14 suis his ABL.PL.M (ADJ)
15 et and CONJ
16 a from PREP+ABL
17 populo people ABL.SG.M
18 eius his GEN.SG.M
19 non not ADV
20 superfuit remained 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
21 ne not even NEG.PART
22 una one NOM.SG.F
23 quidem indeed PART

Syntax

Relative Clause as Main Clause:
Qui fecit iuxta verbum illius — “He who did according to his word”
• Qui — Relative pronoun referring to the LORD
• fecit — Main finite verb
• iuxta verbum illius — Prepositional phrase expressing conformity

Coordinated Clause:
et abstulit muscas… — Continuation of divine action
Series of a + ablative complements indicating those from whom the flies were removed.

Final Statement of Total Removal:
non superfuit ne una quidem — “not even one remained”
• ne + una + quidem intensifies the negation
• superfuit is the main verb of this concluding clause

Morphology

  1. Qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of fecit; Translation: “who”; Notes: Refers back to the LORD.
  2. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “did”; Notes: Describes completed divine action.
  3. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces phrase of conformity; Translation: “according to”; Notes: Classical usage retained.
  4. verbum — Lemma: verbum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: “word”; Notes: Refers to Moses’ request.
  5. illius — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: possessive; Translation: “of him”; Notes: Likely refers to Moses.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: Smooth narrative continuation.
  7. abstulit — Lemma: aufero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of second clause; Translation: “removed”; Notes: Implies total removal.
  8. muscas — Lemma: musca; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of abstulit; Translation: “flies”; Notes: Refers to the plague.
  9. a — Lemma: a/ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: separation; Translation: “from”; Notes: Standard ablative of separation.
  10. Pharaone — Lemma: Pharao; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: complement of a; Translation: “Pharao”; Notes: First recipient of relief.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: adds second object; Translation: “and”; Notes: Connects successive separations.
  12. a — Lemma: a/ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: separation; Translation: “from”; Notes: Repeated for emphasis.
  13. servis — Lemma: servus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: complement of a; Translation: “servants”; Notes: Pharao’s household.
  14. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: modifies servis; Translation: “his”; Notes: Reflexive to Pharao.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: continues list; Translation: “and”; Notes: Final member of the list.
  16. a — Lemma: a/ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: separation; Translation: “from”; Notes: Third use in series.
  17. populo — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: complement of a; Translation: “people”; Notes: Entire population affected.
  18. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive; Translation: “his”; Notes: Belonging to Pharao.
  19. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: negator; Function: negates superfuit; Translation: “not”; Notes: Sets up emphatic negation.
  20. superfuit — Lemma: superfueo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of conclusion; Translation: “remained”; Notes: Indicates total removal.
  21. ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: particle; Form: emphatic negation; Function: intensifies negative statement; Translation: “not even”; Notes: Strengthens “non superfuit.”
  22. una — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective/noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of superfuit; Translation: “one”; Notes: Refers implicitly to “musca.”
  23. quidem — Lemma: quidem; Part of Speech: particle; Form: emphasizing particle; Function: adds force; Translation: “indeed”; Notes: Works with ne … quidem construction.

 

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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