Exodus 28:39

Posted on March 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 28:39 Stringesque tunicam bysso, et tiaram byssinam facies, et balteum opere plumarii.

And you shall weave the tunic of fine linen, and you shall make the linen turban, and the sash, the work of an embroiderer.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Stringesque and you shall weave VERB 2 FUT ACT IND 3RD CONJ + ENCL
2 tunicam tunic NOUN ACC SG F 1ST DECL
3 bysso, of fine linen NOUN ABL SG F 4TH DECL
4 et and CONJ INDECL
5 tiaram mitre / headdress / turban NOUN ACC SG F 1ST DECL
6 byssinam linen ADJ ACC SG F
7 facies you shall make VERB 2 FUT ACT IND 3RD CONJ
8 et and CONJ INDECL
9 balteum sash NOUN ACC SG M 2ND DECL
10 opere with the work NOUN ABL SG N 3RD DECL
11 plumarii of an embroiderer NOUN GEN SG M 2ND DECL

Syntax

The first main clause is Stringesque tunicam bysso — “and you shall weave the tunic of fine linen,” with Stringesque as the future main verb, tunicam as direct object, and bysso functioning as an ablative of material.
A coordinated second command appears in tiaram byssinam facies, with facies as the verb and the object tiaram modified by byssinam.
A third coordinated command follows: et balteum opere plumarii, understood with the elided verb facies, meaning “and [you shall make] the sash, with the work of an embroiderer.”

Morphology

  1. Stringesque — Lemma: stringo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future active indicative, third conjugation, with enclitic -que; Function: main verb of the first command; Translation: “and you shall weave”; Notes: stringo here means to weave or plait cloth.
  2. tunicam — Lemma: tunica; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, first declension; Function: direct object of Stringesque; Translation: “tunic”; Notes: the priestly garment under the ephod.
  3. bysso, — Lemma: byssus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, fourth declension; Function: ablative of material; Translation: “of fine linen”; Notes: refers to high-quality linen used in sacred garments.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links coordinated commands; Translation: “and”; Notes: simple connective.
  5. tiaram — Lemma: tiara; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, first declension; Function: direct object of facies; Translation: “turban”; Notes: high priest’s head covering.
  6. byssinam — Lemma: byssinus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies tiaram; Translation: “linen”; Notes: indicates the material required.
  7. facies — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future active indicative, third conjugation; Function: main verb of second command; Translation: “you shall make”; Notes: governs tiaram and applies also to balteum by ellipsis.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces third coordinated element; Translation: “and”; Notes: binds final clause.
  9. balteum — Lemma: balteus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, second declension; Function: direct object (verb understood); Translation: “sash”; Notes: ceremonial girdle.
  10. opere — Lemma: opus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter, third declension; Function: ablative of means; Translation: “with the work”; Notes: describes workmanship.
  11. plumarii — Lemma: plumarius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine, second declension; Function: genitive of authorship; Translation: “of an embroiderer”; Notes: identifies specialized craftsmanship.

 

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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