Exodus 24:17

Posted on March 15, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 24:17 Erat autem species gloriæ Domini, quasi ignis ardens super verticem montis in conspectu filiorum Israel.

And the appearance of the glory of the LORD was as a burning fire on the summit of the mountain in the sight of the sons of Israel.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Erat was 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
2 autem however / indeed ADV
3 species appearance NOM.SG.F 5TH DECL
4 gloriæ of the glory GEN.SG.F 1ST DECL
5 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M 2ND DECL
6 quasi as if / like ADV
7 ignis fire NOM.SG.M 3RD DECL
8 ardens burning PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.SG.M/F
9 super over / upon PREP+ACC
10 verticem summit ACC.SG.M 3RD DECL
11 montis of the mountain GEN.SG.M 3RD DECL
12 in in PREP+ABL
13 conspectu in the sight ABL.SG.M 4TH DECL
14 filiorum of the sons GEN.PL.M 2ND DECL
15 Israel Israel GEN.SG.M INDECL

Syntax

Main Clause:
Erat autem species gloriæ Domini —
“And the appearance of the glory of the LORD was…”
• Erat = copular verb.
• species = subject.
• gloriæ Domini = genitive phrase modifying species.

Comparative Description:
quasi ignis ardens —
“as a burning fire.”
• quasi introduces a visionary comparison.
• ignis ardens = nominative predicate phrase.

Location Phrase:
super verticem montis —
“upon the summit of the mountain.”
• super with accusative = motion or location upon.

Context Phrase:
in conspectu filiorum Israel —
“in the sight of the sons of Israel.”
• conspectu = ablative of place.
• filiorum Israel = possessive genitive.

Morphology

  1. Erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active indicative, 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: was; Notes: describes ongoing state.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: connective particle; Translation: however / indeed; Notes: soft contrast or narrative transition.
  3. species — Lemma: species; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine, fifth declension; Function: subject; Translation: appearance; Notes: denotes visible manifestation.
  4. gloriæ — Lemma: gloria; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies species; Translation: of the glory; Notes: divine radiance.
  5. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  6. quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: comparative particle; Translation: as if / like; Notes: introduces visionary imagery.
  7. ignis — Lemma: ignis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate nominal; Translation: fire; Notes: symbolic of divine presence.
  8. ardens — Lemma: ardeo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle, nominative singular masculine/feminine; Function: modifies ignis; Translation: burning; Notes: ongoing action.
  9. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial relationship; Translation: upon; Notes: position on top of mountain.
  10. verticem — Lemma: vertex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: object of super; Translation: summit; Notes: highest point.
  11. montis — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies verticem; Translation: of the mountain; Notes: refers to Sinai.
  12. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative; Translation: in; Notes: stable spatial relation.
  13. conspectu — Lemma: conspectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, fourth declension; Function: ablative of place; Translation: in the sight; Notes: denotes perception.
  14. filiorum — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of the sons; Notes: collective group.
  15. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine (indeclinable); Function: modifies filiorum; Translation: Israel; Notes: preserved exactly as given.

 

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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