Exodus 24:15

Posted on March 15, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 24:15 Cumque ascendisset Moyses, operuit nubes montem,

And when Moyses had ascended, the cloud covered the mountain,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ + ENCLITIC
2 ascendisset had ascended 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
3 Moyses Moses NOM.SG.M 3RD DECL
4 operuit covered 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 nubes cloud NOM.SG.F 3RD DECL
6 montem mountain ACC.SG.M 3RD DECL

Syntax

Temporal Clause:
Cumque ascendisset Moyses — “And when Moses had ascended”
• Cumque = “and when,” introducing temporal background.
• ascendisset = pluperfect subjunctive, setting prior action.
• Moyses = subject.

Main Clause:
operuit nubes montem — “the cloud covered the mountain”
• operuit = main verb.
• nubes = subject.
• montem = direct object.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + -que; Part of Speech: conjunction + enclitic; Form: invariable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: and when; Notes: -que links the temporal clause to the narrative.
  2. ascendisset — Lemma: ascendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect active subjunctive, 3rd singular; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: had ascended; Notes: subjunctive required after cum in temporal narrative.
  3. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of ascendisset; Translation: Moses; Notes: Greek-type declension.
  4. operuit — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: main verb of the sentence; Translation: covered; Notes: describes divine manifestation.
  5. nubes — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, third declension; Function: subject of operuit; Translation: cloud; Notes: the theophanic cloud of YHWH’s presence.
  6. montem — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: direct object of operuit; Translation: mountain; Notes: refers to Mount Sinai.

 

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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