Exodus 26:8

Posted on March 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

8 Longitudo sagi unius habebit triginta cubitos: et latitudo, quattuor: æqua erit mensura sagorum omnium.

The length of one covering shall have thirty cubits, and the width shall be four; the measure of all the coverings shall be equal.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Longitudo the length NOM.SG.F, NOUN, 3RD DECL
2 sagi of the covering GEN.SG.N, NOUN, 2ND DECL
3 unius of one GEN.SG.C, PRON.INDEF
4 habebit shall have 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND, 2ND CONJ
5 triginta thirty INVAR, NUM.ADJ
6 cubitos cubits ACC.PL.M, NOUN, 2ND DECL
7 et and CONJ, INDECL
8 latitudo the width NOM.SG.F, NOUN, 3RD DECL
9 quattuor four INVAR, NUM.ADJ
10 æqua equal NOM.SG.F, ADJ, 1ST DECL
11 erit shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND, IRREG
12 mensura the measure NOM.SG.F, NOUN, 1ST DECL
13 sagorum of the coverings GEN.PL.N, NOUN, 2ND DECL
14 omnium of all GEN.PL.C, ADJ/PRON

Syntax

First measurement clause:
Subject: Longitudo
Genitive complement: sagi unius
Verb: habebit
Object: triginta cubitos — extent of length

Second measurement clause:
Subject: latitudo
Verb (implied “habebit” or expressed measure): elliptic structure; meaning supplied from first clause
Complement: quattuor — “(cubits)” understood

Third clause:
Subject: mensura
Verb: erit
Predicate adjective: æqua
Genitive complement: sagorum omnium

Morphology

  1. Longitudo — Lemma: longitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: the length; Notes: head term establishing measurement.
  2. sagi — Lemma: sagum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of the covering; Notes: identifies which covering’s length.
  3. unius — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: pronoun/adjective; Form: genitive singular common; Function: quantifier of sagi; Translation: of one; Notes: expresses individuality within the set.
  4. habebit — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: shall have; Notes: standard formula in tabernacle measurements.
  5. triginta — Lemma: triginta; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: invariable; Function: numerical modifier; Translation: thirty; Notes: indeclinable compound numeral.
  6. cubitos — Lemma: cubitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: cubits; Notes: measurement unit.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects parallel measurement clauses; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordinator.
  8. latitudo — Lemma: latitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of second clause; Translation: the width; Notes: second dimension of each covering.
  9. quattuor — Lemma: quattuor; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: invariable; Function: elliptical measurement (“four cubits” understood); Translation: four; Notes: cubits supplied from context.
  10. æqua — Lemma: aequus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate modifying mensura; Translation: equal; Notes: expresses uniformity of all coverings.
  11. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of final clause; Translation: shall be; Notes: future states the prescriptive standard.
  12. mensura — Lemma: mensura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: the measure; Notes: refers generally to the dimensions.
  13. sagorum — Lemma: sagum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter; Function: genitive of the whole; Translation: of the coverings; Notes: ties uniformity to entire set.
  14. omnium — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: genitive plural common; Function: modifier of sagorum; Translation: of all; Notes: universal scope.

 

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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