Exodus 13:15

Posted on March 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 13:15 Nam cum induratus esset Pharao, et nollet nos dimittere, occidit Dominus omne primogenitum in Terra Ægypti a primogenito hominis usque ad primogenitum iumentorum: idcirco immolo Domino omne quod aperit vulvam masculini sexus, et omnia primogenita filiorum meorum redimo.

For when Pharao had been hardened and did not want to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the Land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of cattle; therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that opens the womb of the male sex, and all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nam for CONJ
2 cum when CONJ
3 induratus having been hardened PART.PERF.PASS.NOM.SG.M
4 esset had been 3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.ACT
5 Pharao Pharaoh NOUN.NOM.SG.M
6 et and CONJ
7 nollet did not want 3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.ACT
8 nos us PRON.ACC.PL.1ST
9 dimittere to let go PRES.ACT.INF
10 occidit killed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 Dominus the LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
12 omne every ADJ.ACC.SG.N
13 primogenitum firstborn ADJ.ACC.SG.N
14 in in PREP+ABL
15 Terra land NOUN.ABL.SG.F
16 Ægypti of Egypt NOUN.GEN.SG.F
17 a from PREP+ABL
18 primogenito firstborn NOUN.ABL.SG.M
19 hominis of man NOUN.GEN.SG.M
20 usque up to PREP+ACC
21 ad to PREP+ACC
22 primogenitum firstborn NOUN.ACC.SG.M
23 iumentorum of cattle NOUN.GEN.PL.N
24 idcirco therefore ADV
25 immolo I sacrifice 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
26 Domino to the LORD NOUN.DAT.SG.M
27 omne every ADJ.ACC.SG.N
28 quod that which PRON.NOM/ACC.SG.N
29 aperit opens 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
30 vulvam womb NOUN.ACC.SG.F
31 masculini of male ADJ.GEN.SG.M
32 sexus sex NOUN.GEN.SG.M
33 et and CONJ
34 omnia all ADJ.ACC.PL.N
35 primogenita firstborn ADJ.ACC.PL.N
36 filiorum of sons NOUN.GEN.PL.M
37 meorum my ADJ.GEN.PL.M
38 redimo I redeem 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND

Syntax

Temporal–causal clause: Nam cum induratus esset Pharao et nollet nos dimittere — cum with subjunctive expresses circumstance; two coordinated subjunctives (esset, nollet); Pharao subject; nos dimittere infinitive construction as object.
Main clause: occidit Dominus omne primogenitum… — Dominus subject; occidit verb; object omne primogenitum.
Range phrase: a primogenito hominis usque ad primogenitum iumentorum — ablative after a marks starting point; accusative after ad marks end point.
Result clause: idcirco immolo Domino… — immolo main verb; Domino indirect object; omne quod aperit vulvam masculini sexus direct object.
Final clause: et omnia primogenita filiorum meorum redimo — parallel verb redimo; object omnia primogenita; genitive filiorum meorum specifies whose firstborn.

Morphology

  1. Nam — Lemma: nam; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces causal explanation; Translation: “for”; Notes: explanatory connector.
  2. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces circumstantial/temporal clause; Translation: “when”; Notes: takes subjunctive.
  3. induratus — Lemma: induro; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate in cum-clause; Translation: “having been hardened”; Notes: describes Pharaoh’s disposition.
  4. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect subjunctive active third person singular; Function: auxiliary in periphrastic passive; Translation: “had been”; Notes: subjunctive due to cum.
  5. Pharao — Lemma: Pharao; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “Pharaoh”; Notes: ruler of Egypt.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links verbs; Translation: “and”; Notes: coordination.
  7. nollet — Lemma: nolo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect subjunctive active third person singular; Function: second verb in cum-clause; Translation: “did not want”; Notes: refusal of release.
  8. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural first person; Function: object of dimittere; Translation: “us”; Notes: collective Israel.
  9. dimittere — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complement of nollet; Translation: “to let go”; Notes: infinitive of indirect statement.
  10. occidit — Lemma: occido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “killed”; Notes: act of judgment.
  11. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of occidit; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  12. omne — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies primogenitum; Translation: “every”; Notes: universal scope.
  13. primogenitum — Lemma: primogenitus; Part of Speech: adjective/substantive; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: “firstborn”; Notes: neuter used substantively.
  14. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative; Translation: “in”; Notes: geographic setting.
  15. Terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: complement of in; Translation: “land”; Notes: physical region.
  16. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies Terra; Translation: “of Egypt”; Notes: specifies region.
  17. a — Lemma: a/ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: starting point; Translation: “from”; Notes: marks range.
  18. primogenito — Lemma: primogenitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of a; Translation: “firstborn”; Notes: human category.
  19. hominis — Lemma: homo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies primogenito; Translation: “of man”; Notes: dependent genitive.
  20. usque — Lemma: usque; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ad+ACC; Function: extent marker; Translation: “up to”; Notes: begins end point phrase.
  21. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: marks end point; Translation: “to”; Notes: with primogenitum.
  22. primogenitum — Lemma: primogenitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “firstborn”; Notes: animal category.
  23. iumentorum — Lemma: iumentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter; Function: modifies primogenitum; Translation: “of cattle”; Notes: dependent genitive.
  24. idcirco — Lemma: idcirco; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introducer of consequence; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: logical inference.
  25. immolo — Lemma: immolo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative first person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I sacrifice”; Notes: cultic action.
  26. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to the LORD”; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  27. omne — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of immolo; Translation: “every”; Notes: total inclusiveness.
  28. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: “that which”; Notes: modifies omne.
  29. aperit — Lemma: aperio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third person singular; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: “opens”; Notes: idiom for first offspring.
  30. vulvam — Lemma: vulva; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of aperit; Translation: “womb”; Notes: reproductive term.
  31. masculini — Lemma: masculinus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies sexus; Translation: “of male”; Notes: quality genitive.
  32. sexus — Lemma: sexus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “sex”; Notes: specifies gender.
  33. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces parallel clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: coordination.
  34. omnia — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of redimo; Translation: “all”; Notes: substantive usage.
  35. primogenita — Lemma: primogenitus; Part of Speech: adjective/substantive; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: complements omnia; Translation: “firstborn”; Notes: refers to children.
  36. filiorum — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of sons”; Notes: indicates relationship.
  37. meorum — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies filiorum; Translation: “my”; Notes: speaker’s children.
  38. redimo — Lemma: redimo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative first person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “I redeem”; Notes: redemption of human firstborn.

 

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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