Exodus 13:21

Posted on March 4, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 13: 21 Dominus autem præcedebat eos ad ostendendam viam per diem in columna nubis, et per noctem in columna ignis: ut dux esset itineris utroque tempore.

But the LORD went before them to show the way by day in a pillar of cloud, and by night in a pillar of fire, so that He might be the guide of the journey at both times.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dominus the LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
2 autem but CONJ
3 præcedebat was going before 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
4 eos them PRON.ACC.PL.M
5 ad to PREP+GERUNDIVE/INF
6 ostendendam to show GERUNDIVE.ACC.SG.F
7 viam the way NOUN.ACC.SG.F
8 per through PREP+ACC
9 diem day NOUN.ACC.SG.M
10 in in PREP+ABL
11 columna pillar NOUN.ABL.SG.F
12 nubis of cloud NOUN.GEN.SG.F
13 et and CONJ
14 per through PREP+ACC
15 noctem night NOUN.ACC.SG.F
16 in in PREP+ABL
17 columna pillar NOUN.ABL.SG.F
18 ignis of fire NOUN.GEN.SG.M
19 ut that CONJ
20 dux guide NOUN.NOM.SG.M
21 esset might be 3SG.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
22 itineris of the journey NOUN.GEN.SG.N
23 utroque at both ADJ.ABL.SG.M/N
24 tempore time NOUN.ABL.SG.N

Syntax

Main clause: Dominus autem præcedebat eos — Dominus subject; præcedebat verb; eos object.
Purpose phrase: ad ostendendam viam — ad + gerundive indicates purpose “to show the way.”
Instrumental phrases: per diem in columna nubis and per noctem in columna ignis describe how the LORD guided them.
Final clause: ut dux esset itineris utroque tempore — esset subjunctive of purpose; dux predicate nominative; itineris dependent genitive; utroque tempore ablative of time.

Morphology

  1. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “the LORD”; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: mild contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: connects to prior verse.
  3. præcedebat — Lemma: præcedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active indicative third singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “was going before”; Notes: continuous past action.
  4. eos — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object; Translation: “them”; Notes: Israel.
  5. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs gerundive; Function: introduces purpose; Translation: “to”; Notes: classical purpose construction.
  6. ostendendam — Lemma: ostendo; Part of Speech: gerundive; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies viam; Translation: “to show”; Notes: gerundive of purpose.
  7. viam — Lemma: via; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ostendendam; Translation: “way”; Notes: route of the journey.
  8. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses extent of action; Translation: “through”; Notes: temporal span.
  9. diem — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: “day”; Notes: daytime guidance.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: location; Translation: “in”; Notes: locative marker.
  11. columna — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “pillar”; Notes: visible manifestation of divine presence.
  12. nubis — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of cloud”; Notes: describes the pillar type.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects clause; Translation: “and”; Notes: simple connector.
  14. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: temporal extent; Translation: “through”; Notes: indicates nighttime period.
  15. noctem — Lemma: nox; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of per; Translation: “night”; Notes: night guidance.
  16. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: location; Translation: “in”; Notes: introduces the nighttime manifestation.
  17. columna — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “pillar”; Notes: nighttime pillar.
  18. ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of fire”; Notes: contrasts daytime cloud.
  19. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: introduces subjunctive clause; Function: purpose; Translation: “that”; Notes: expresses divine intention.
  20. dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “guide”; Notes: describes YHWH’s role.
  21. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive third singular; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: “might be”; Notes: intended result.
  22. itineris — Lemma: iter; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of the journey”; Notes: describes what He guides.
  23. utroque — Lemma: uterque; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine/neuter; Function: modifies tempore; Translation: “at both”; Notes: refers to day and night.
  24. tempore — Lemma: tempus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of time; Translation: “time”; Notes: expresses temporal range of guidance.

 

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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