Exodus 21:10

Posted on March 12, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

10 Quod si alteram ei acceperit, providebit puellæ nuptias, et vestimenta, et pretium pudicitiæ non negabit.

But if he takes another for himself, he shall provide the girl with marriage-rights, and clothing, and the price of her honor he shall not withhold.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quod but if CONJ INDECL
2 si if CONJ INDECL
3 alteram another (woman) ACC.SG.F ADJ 1ST/2ND DECL
4 ei for himself DAT.SG.M PERS.PRON
5 acceperit takes 3SG.FUTP.ACT.SUBJ VERB
6 providebit he shall provide 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND VERB
7 puellæ to the girl DAT.SG.F 1ST DECL NOUN
8 nuptias marriage-rights ACC.PL.F 1ST DECL NOUN
9 et and CONJ INDECL
10 vestimenta clothing ACC.PL.N 3RD DECL NOUN
11 et and CONJ INDECL
12 pretium price ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL NOUN
13 pudicitiæ of honor/modesty GEN.SG.F 1ST DECL NOUN
14 non not ADV INDECL
15 negabit he shall withhold 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND VERB

Syntax

Conditional clause:
Quod si alteram ei acceperit — adversative conditional (“but if he takes another for himself”).
• alteram = “another woman.”
• ei = “for himself,” ethical dative referring to the master’s own advantage.
• acceperit = future perfect subjunctive indicating legal conditionality.

Main legal obligations:
providebit puellæ nuptias — “he shall provide the girl with marriage-rights.”
et vestimenta — coordinated secondary obligation (“and clothing”).
et pretium pudicitiæ non negabit — “and the price of her honor he shall not withhold,” a third mandatory provision.

Morphology

  1. Quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: adversative introductory marker; Translation: but; Notes: strengthens the conditional introduced by si.
  2. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces the condition; Translation: if; Notes: opens a legal protasis.
  3. alteram — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine 1st/2nd declension; Function: direct object of acceperit; Translation: another (woman); Notes: implies taking a second wife or concubine.
  4. ei — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: ethical dative; Translation: for himself; Notes: indicates advantage to the master.
  5. acceperit — Lemma: accipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect active subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: verb of conditional protasis; Translation: takes; Notes: expresses legal future condition.
  6. providebit — Lemma: provideo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall provide; Notes: expresses legal obligation.
  7. puellæ — Lemma: puella; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular feminine 1st declension; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the girl; Notes: recipient of required provisions.
  8. nuptias — Lemma: nuptiae; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine 1st declension; Function: direct object; Translation: marriage-rights; Notes: refers to conjugal rights or obligations normally owed to a spouse.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinator; Translation: and; Notes: links additional obligations.
  10. vestimenta — Lemma: vestimentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter 2nd declension; Function: direct object; Translation: clothing; Notes: denotes required material support.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinator; Translation: and; Notes: introduces the third obligation.
  12. pretium — Lemma: pretium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: direct object; Translation: price; Notes: refers to required maintenance or compensation.
  13. pudicitiæ — Lemma: pudicitia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine 1st declension; Function: genitive of quality; Translation: of honor/modesty; Notes: refers to conjugal honor or sexual integrity.
  14. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: negates main verb; Translation: not; Notes: creates legal prohibition.
  15. negabit — Lemma: nego; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: he shall withhold; Notes: expresses forbidden withholding of due support.

 

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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