Exodus 26:16

Posted on March 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 26:16 quæ singulæ denos cubitos in longitudine habeant, et in latitudine singulos ac semissem.

each of which shall have ten cubits in length, and in width each one and a half.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 quæ which NOM.PL.F, PRON.REL
2 singulæ each NOM.PL.F, ADJ/PRON
3 denos ten each ACC.PL.M, NUM.ADJ (distributive)
4 cubitos cubits ACC.PL.M, NOUN, 2ND DECL
5 in in PREP+ABL
6 longitudine length ABL.SG.F, NOUN, 3RD DECL
7 habeant may have 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ, 2ND CONJ
8 et and CONJ, INDECL
9 in in PREP+ABL
10 latitudine width ABL.SG.F, NOUN, 3RD DECL
11 singulos each one ACC.PL.M, ADJ/PRON
12 ac and CONJ, INDECL
13 semissem a half ACC.SG.M, NOUN, 3RD DECL

Syntax

Relative clause defining the boards:
• quæ singulæ … habeant — “which each shall have”
— quæ is the subject
— singulæ emphasises “each one individually”
— denos cubitos is the object of habeant, specifying length

First dimension phrase:
• in longitudine — ablative of respect (“in regard to length”)

Second measurement clause:
• et in latitudine singulos ac semissem — “and in width, each one and a half”
— singulos = “one each”
— semissem = “a half”
Both together form the total width of each board.

Morphology

  1. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of the clause; Translation: which; Notes: refers back to the tabernacle boards.
  2. singulæ — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: distributive adjective/pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: modifies quæ; Translation: each; Notes: stresses individual measurement.
  3. denos — Lemma: deni; Part of Speech: distributive numeral adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies cubitos; Translation: ten each; Notes: distributives used in Latin for exact per-item counts.
  4. cubitos — Lemma: cubitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of habeant; Translation: cubits; Notes: a standard biblical unit of measure.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: dimension marker; Translation: in; Notes: establishes the respect/dimension.
  6. longitudine — Lemma: longitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of respect; Translation: length; Notes: describes in which aspect the measurement applies.
  7. habeant — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: may have; Notes: subjunctive used in characteristic and measuring clauses.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins clauses; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates second dimension.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: dimension marker; Translation: in; Notes: mirrors earlier phrase.
  10. latitudine — Lemma: latitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of respect; Translation: width; Notes: parallel to longitudine.
  11. singulos — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: distributive adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: part of measurement; Translation: one each; Notes: distributive indicates individual width measurement.
  12. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links units; Translation: and; Notes: smoother than et before consonants.
  13. semissem — Lemma: semis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: complement of measurement; Translation: a half; Notes: technical term for fractional measure.

 

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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