Exodus 16:14

Posted on March 7, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 16:14 Cumque operuisset superficiem terræ, apparuit in solitudine minutum, et quasi pilo tusum in similitudinem pruinæ super terram.

And when it had covered the surface of the earth, there appeared in the wilderness something small, and as if beaten fine like hair, in the likeness of frost upon the earth.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 operuisset had covered 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
3 superficiem surface ACC.SG.F
4 terræ of the earth GEN.SG.F
5 apparuit appeared 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
6 in in PREP+ABL
7 solitudine wilderness ABL.SG.F
8 minutum something small NOM.SG.N
9 et and CONJ
10 quasi as if ADV
11 pilo with hair ABL.SG.M
12 tusum beaten PTCP.PERF.PASS.NOM.SG.N
13 in in PREP+ACC
14 similitudinem likeness ACC.SG.F
15 pruinæ of frost GEN.SG.F
16 super upon PREP+ACC
17 terram the earth ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Cumque operuisset superficiem terræ — Cumque introduces a temporal clause; operuisset is pluperfect subjunctive; superficiem terræ is the object phrase.
Main Clause: apparuit minutum — apparuit is the main verb; minutum is the neuter subject.
Locative Phrase: in solitudine — indicates location of appearance.
Comparative Phrase: quasi pilo tusum — descriptive comparison meaning “as if beaten fine like hair.”
Final Phrase: in similitudinem pruinæ super terram — expresses likeness; super terram shows placement.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + que; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating cum with enclitic -que; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: “and when”; Notes: binds narrative events.
  2. operuisset — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect active subjunctive, 3rd singular; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: “had covered”; Notes: subjunctive required by cum-temporal construction.
  3. superficiem — Lemma: superficies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of operuisset; Translation: “surface”; Notes: direct object.
  4. terræ — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies superficiem; Translation: “of the earth”; Notes: possessive genitive.
  5. apparuit — Lemma: appareo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “appeared”; Notes: introduces new visual event.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: shows location; Translation: “in”; Notes: standard locative.
  7. solitudine — Lemma: solitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “wilderness”; Notes: barren region where manna appears.
  8. minutum — Lemma: minutum; Part of Speech: adjective/substantive; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject; Translation: “something small”; Notes: neuter substance-noun usage.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins descriptions; Translation: “and”; Notes: additive.
  10. quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: “as if”; Notes: introduces metaphorical likeness.
  11. pilo — Lemma: pilus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of comparison; Translation: “with hair”; Notes: describes fineness.
  12. tusum — Lemma: tundo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect participle passive, nominative singular neuter; Function: modifier of minutum; Translation: “beaten”; Notes: describing texture of manna.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces likeness; Translation: “into / in”; Notes: idiom “in similitudinem”.
  14. similitudinem — Lemma: similitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “likeness”; Notes: marks resemblance.
  15. pruinæ — Lemma: pruina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies similitudinem; Translation: “of frost”; Notes: describes appearance.
  16. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses location; Translation: “upon”; Notes: spatial orientation.
  17. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: “the earth”; Notes: final placement detail.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Exodus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.