Exodus 25:19

Posted on March 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

19 Cherub unus sit in latere uno, et alter in altero.

One Cherub shall be on one side, and the other on the other side.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cherub Cherub NOM.SG.M.INVAR
2 unus one NOM.SG.M.ADJ
3 sit may be / shall be 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
4 in in PREP+ABL
5 latere side ABL.SG.N.3RD DECL
6 uno one ABL.SG.N.ADJ
7 et and CONJ
8 alter the other NOM.SG.M.ADJ
9 in in PREP+ABL
10 altero the other ABL.SG.M.ADJ

Syntax

First placement clause: Cherub unus sit in latere uno — subject Cherub unus, verb sit, location phrase in latere uno.
Coordinated clause: et alter in altero — describes symmetrical placement, implied verb “sit.”
Spatial contrast: uno … altero forms a balanced pair describing opposite sides.

Morphology

  1. Cherub — Lemma: Cherub; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine (indeclinable); Function: subject; Translation: Cherub; Notes: Hebrew loanword, treated as invariable.
  2. unus — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: quantifier modifying Cherub; Translation: one; Notes: numeral adjective.
  3. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive third singular; Function: main verb; Translation: may be / shall be; Notes: jussive subjunctive expressing command.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces location; Translation: in; Notes: static position.
  5. latere — Lemma: latus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of *in*; Translation: side; Notes: refers to the side of the mercy-seat.
  6. uno — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine/neuter; Function: modifies latere; Translation: one; Notes: specifies the first side.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects parallel clauses; Translation: and; Notes: marks symmetry.
  8. alter — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of elliptic clause; Translation: the other; Notes: contrasted with *unus*.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces second location; Translation: in; Notes: static placement.
  10. altero — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: completes location phrase; Translation: the other; Notes: balanced structural pairing.

 

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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