Exodus 25:30

Posted on March 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 25:30 Et pones super mensam panes propositionis in conspectu meo semper.

And you shall place upon the table the bread of the Presence before me always.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 pones you shall place 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
3 super upon PREP+ACC
4 mensam table ACC.SG.F.1ST DECL
5 panes breads ACC.PL.M.3RD DECL
6 propositionis of the Presence GEN.SG.F.3RD DECL
7 in in PREP+ACC
8 conspectu presence ABL.SG.M.4TH DECL
9 meo my ABL.SG.M.PRON.POSS
10 semper always ADV

Syntax

Main command: Et pones super mensam — establishes the action of placing something on the table.
Direct object: panes propositionis — the “bread of the Presence,” the sacred showbread.
Locative phrase: in conspectu meo — indicates the bread must remain “before me,” meaning before YHWH.
Temporal adverb: semper — expresses perpetual obligation.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connects to prior instruction; Translation: and; Notes: standard narrative connector.
  2. pones — Lemma: pono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative second singular; Function: main verb of command; Translation: you shall place; Notes: expresses mandated ritual arrangement.
  3. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses position above or upon; Translation: upon; Notes: spatial relation to table.
  4. mensam — Lemma: mensa; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: table; Notes: the Table of the Presence.
  5. panes — Lemma: panis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: breads; Notes: refers to twelve loaves placed weekly.
  6. propositionis — Lemma: propositio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of description; Translation: of the Presence; Notes: technical term for showbread.
  7. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative (motion toward) or ablative (location); here ablative; Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: classical usage.
  8. conspectu — Lemma: conspectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of place; Translation: presence; Notes: literally “seeing,” meaning presence.
  9. meo — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: pronoun (possessive adjective); Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies conspectu; Translation: my; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  10. semper — Lemma: semper; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: temporal modifier; Translation: always; Notes: indicates perpetual display before YHWH.

 

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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