Exodus 27:12

Posted on March 18, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 27:12 In latitudine vero atrii, quod respicit ad occidentem, erunt tentoria per quinquaginta cubitos, et columnæ decem, basesque totidem.

But on the width of the court, which faces toward the west, the hangings shall extend for fifty cubits, and there shall be ten columns and as many bases.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 In in/on PREP+ABL
2 latitudine width ABL.SG.F 3RD DECL
3 vero but ADV
4 atrii of the court GEN.SG.N 2ND DECL
5 quod which NOM.SG.N PRON.REL
6 respicit faces 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 ad toward PREP+ACC
8 occidentem the west ACC.SG.M 3RD DECL
9 erunt shall be 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND
10 tentoria hangings NOM.PL.N 2ND DECL
11 per for PREP+ACC
12 quinquaginta fifty INVAR.NUM
13 cubitos cubits ACC.PL.M 4TH DECL
14 et and CONJ
15 columnæ columns NOM.PL.F 1ST DECL
16 decem ten INVAR.NUM
17 basesque and bases NOM.PL.F 3RD DECL + ENCLITIC -QUE
18 totidem as many INVAR.ADJ

Syntax

Locative phrase: In latitudine vero atrii introduces the area being described—the western width of the court.
The relative clause quod respicit ad occidentem specifies orientation.

Main clause: erunt tentoria per quinquaginta cubitos states that the hangings extend a length of fifty cubits.
The prepositional phrase per quinquaginta cubitos expresses measure (“for fifty cubits”).

Coordinated nominal clause: columnæ decem and
basesque totidem list the structural elements—ten columns and an equal number of bases.

Morphology

  1. In — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: “in/on”; Notes: spatial marker.
  2. latitudine — Lemma: latitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, 3rd declension; Function: object of in; Translation: “width”; Notes: architectural dimension.
  3. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: adds contrast (“but/indeed”); Translation: “but”; Notes: discourse marker.
  4. atrii — Lemma: atrium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter, 2nd declension; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: “of the court”; Notes: specifies location.
  5. quod — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: “which”; Notes: refers to atrii.
  6. respicit — Lemma: respicio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present indicative active third person singular; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: “faces”; Notes: describes orientation.
  7. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: direction; Translation: “toward”; Notes: expresses facing direction.
  8. occidentem — Lemma: occidens; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: object of ad; Translation: “the west”; Notes: cardinal direction.
  9. erunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future indicative active third person plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “they shall be”; Notes: refers to tentoria.
  10. tentoria — Lemma: tentorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter, 2nd declension; Function: subject of erunt; Translation: “hangings”; Notes: linen screens.
  11. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses extent; Translation: “for”; Notes: marks measurement.
  12. quinquaginta — Lemma: quinquaginta; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: invariable; Function: modifies cubitos; Translation: “fifty”; Notes: cardinal number.
  13. cubitos — Lemma: cubitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine, 4th declension; Function: measure of extent; Translation: “cubits”; Notes: indicates length.
  14. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: joins clauses; Translation: “and”; Notes: additive.
  15. columnæ — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine, 1st declension; Function: subject of implied verb; Translation: “columns”; Notes: structural supports.
  16. decem — Lemma: decem; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: invariable; Function: modifies columnæ; Translation: “ten”; Notes: cardinal number.
  17. basesque — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun + enclitic -que; Form: nominative plural feminine, 3rd declension; Function: coordinated subject; Translation: “and bases”; Notes: enclitic joins to columnæ.
  18. totidem — Lemma: totidem; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: invariable; Function: modifies bases; Translation: “as many”; Notes: indicates equal number to columns.

 

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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