Ex 16:36 Gomor autem decima pars est ephi.
Now a gomor is the tenth part of an ephi.
| # |
Latin |
Gloss |
Grammar Tag |
| 1 |
Gomor |
omer |
NOM.SG.N (INDECL) |
| 2 |
autem |
but / now |
CONJ |
| 3 |
decima |
tenth |
NOM.SG.F (ADJ.ORD) |
| 4 |
pars |
part |
NOM.SG.F |
| 5 |
est |
is |
3SG.PRES.ACT.IND |
| 6 |
ephi |
of an ephah |
GEN.SG.N (INDECL) |
Syntax
Main Clause: Gomor autem decima pars est ephi — equational sentence with Gomor as subject, decima pars as predicate nominative, ephi as a genitive of measure.
autem — postpositive, supplying mild contrast or continuation.
Morphology
- Gomor — Lemma: gomor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: indeclinable, nominative singular neuter; Function: subject; Translation: “gomor”; Notes: Hebrew dry-measure unit עמר.
- autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connective, postpositive; Translation: “now / but”; Notes: marks explanatory continuation.
- decima — Lemma: decimus; Part of Speech: adjective (ordinal); Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: modifies pars; Translation: “tenth”; Notes: expresses fractional proportion.
- pars — Lemma: pars; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: “part”; Notes: equational complement of est.
- est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: linking verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: expresses identity.
- ephi — Lemma: ephi; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter, indeclinable; Function: genitive of the whole (partitive); Translation: “of an ephi”; Notes: Hebrew volume-measure unit איפה.
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.