Exodus 17:13

Posted on March 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 17:13 Fugavitque Iosue Amalec, et populum eius in ore gladii.

And Josue routed Amalec and his people by the edge of the sword.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Fugavitque and he routed 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Iosue Joshua NOUN.NOM.SG.M
3 Amalec Amalek NOUN.INDECL
4 et and CONJ
5 populum people NOUN.ACC.SG.M
6 eius his PRON.POSS.GEN.SG.M
7 in by PREP+ABL
8 ore edge NOUN.ABL.SG.N
9 gladii of the sword NOUN.GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Main Clause: Fugavitque Iosue Amalec — subject + perfect verb + direct object.
Coordinated Object: et populum eius — second object linked by et.
Instrumental Phrase: in ore gladii — ablative of means (“by the edge of the sword”).

Morphology

  1. Fugavitque — Lemma: fugō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: and he routed; Notes: -que adds coordination.
  2. Iosue — Lemma: Iosue; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Joshua; Notes: Hebrew proper name.
  3. Amalec — Lemma: Amalec; Part of Speech: noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: direct object; Translation: Amalek; Notes: enemy group leader.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates objects; Translation: and; Notes: simple joiner.
  5. populum — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: coordinated direct object; Translation: people; Notes: indicates Amalek’s forces.
  6. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: modifies populum; Translation: his; Notes: refers to Amalek.
  7. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: instrumental phrase; Translation: by; Notes: idiom with os meaning “edge.”
  8. ore — Lemma: os; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: edge; Notes: metaphorical use.
  9. gladii — Lemma: gladius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of the whole; Translation: of the sword; Notes: standard idiom.

 

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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