Exodus 28:40

Posted on March 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 28:40 Porro filiis Aaron tunicas lineas parabis et balteos ac tiaras in gloriam et decorem:

Moreover, for the sons of Aaron you shall prepare linen tunics and also belts and turbans, for glory and for beauty;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Porro moreover ADV INDECL
2 filiis for the sons NOUN DAT PL M 2ND DECL
3 Aaron of Aaron NOUN GEN SG M INDECL
4 tunicas tunics NOUN ACC PL F 1ST DECL
5 lineas linen ADJ ACC PL F
6 parabis you shall prepare VERB 2 FUT ACT IND 1ST CONJ
7 et and CONJ INDECL
8 balteos belts NOUN ACC PL M 2ND DECL
9 ac and also CONJ INDECL
10 tiaras mitres / headdresses / turbans NOUN ACC PL F 1ST DECL
11 in for / into PREP+ACC INDECL
12 gloriam glory NOUN ACC SG F 1ST DECL
13 et and CONJ INDECL
14 decorem beauty NOUN ACC SG M 3RD DECL

Syntax

Porro filiis Aaron sets the beneficiary: “Moreover, for the sons of Aaron,” with filiis in the dative and Aaron specifying whose sons.
The core command is tunicas lineas parabis — “you shall prepare linen tunics,” where parabis is the main future verb, tunicas the direct object, and lineas its descriptive adjective.
The coordinated objects et balteos ac tiaras extend the list of vestments: “and belts and also turbans,” sharing the verb parabis by ellipsis.
Finally, in gloriam et decorem is a prepositional phrase of purpose/result: the garments are prepared “for glory and for beauty,” summarizing their symbolic function.

Morphology

  1. Porro — Lemma: porro; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: sentence-level connective introducing an additional instruction; Translation: “moreover”; Notes: marks a further step in the sequence of priestly garment commands.
  2. filiis — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine, second declension; Function: indirect object/beneficiary of parabis; Translation: “for the sons”; Notes: indicates those for whom the garments are prepared.
  3. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: noun (proper); Form: genitive singular masculine, indeclinable by form but genitive by context; Function: genitive of possession with filiis; Translation: “of Aaron”; Notes: Hebrew name treated in Latin as case-variable by position.
  4. tunicas — Lemma: tunica; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine, first declension; Function: direct object of parabis; Translation: “tunics”; Notes: refers to priestly undergarments.
  5. lineas — Lemma: lineus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: agrees with tunicas and specifies material; Translation: “linen”; Notes: stresses that the tunics are made of linen cloth.
  6. parabis — Lemma: paro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular future active indicative, first conjugation; Function: main verb of command; Translation: “you shall prepare”; Notes: prescriptive future typical of legal-ritual style.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates additional objects with tunicas lineas; Translation: “and”; Notes: simple additive connector.
  8. balteos — Lemma: balteus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine, second declension; Function: coordinated direct object (verb parabis understood); Translation: “belts”; Notes: ceremonial sashes worn with priestly garments.
  9. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: emphatic coordinator linking the final item; Translation: “and also”; Notes: slightly stronger than simple et, highlighting the addition.
  10. tiaras — Lemma: tiara; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine, first declension; Function: coordinated direct object; Translation: “turbans”; Notes: priestly headgear matched to Aaron’s own tiara.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative in this context; Function: introduces a phrase of purpose/result; Translation: “for / into”; Notes: with abstract nouns, often means “for (the sake of).”
  12. gloriam — Lemma: gloria; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, first declension; Function: object of in; Translation: “glory”; Notes: expresses the honor and dignity signaled by the vestments.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates the second abstract noun with gloriam; Translation: “and”; Notes: links paired purposes.
  14. decorem — Lemma: decor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, third declension; Function: second object of in; Translation: “beauty”; Notes: underlines the aesthetic and liturgical splendor of the priestly attire.

 

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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