Exodus 29:11

Posted on March 20, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 29:11 et mactabis eum in conspectu Domini, iuxta ostium tabernaculi testimonii.

and you shall slaughter it in the sight of the LORD, beside the entrance of the tent of testimony.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 mactabis you shall slaughter VERB 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
3 eum it PRON PERS ACC.SG.M
4 in in PREP+ABL
5 conspectu the sight NOUN ABL.SG.M 4TH DECL
6 Domini of the LORD NOUN GEN.SG.M 2ND DECL
7 iuxta beside PREP+ACC
8 ostium the entrance NOUN ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL
9 tabernaculi of the tent NOUN GEN.SG.N 2ND DECL
10 testimonii of testimony NOUN GEN.SG.N 2ND DECL

Syntax

Main Command:
et mactabis eum — verb mactabis governs direct object eum (“it,” the bull).

Locative Phrase 1:
in conspectu Domini — ablative of location with preposition in; Domini is a genitive depending on conspectu (“in the sight of the LORD”).

Locative Phrase 2:
iuxta ostium tabernaculi testimonii — iuxta governs the accusative ostium; tabernaculi testimonii forms a genitive chain modifying ostium.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links this command to the preceding one; Translation: and; Notes: standard ritual connective.
  2. mactabis — Lemma: macto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative second person singular; Function: main command; Translation: you shall slaughter; Notes: technical term for sacrificial killing.
  3. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: it; Notes: refers to the sacrificial bull.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces locative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: indicates presence before the LORD.
  5. conspectu — Lemma: conspectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: sight; Notes: liturgical expression for divine presence.
  6. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive dependent on conspectu; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  7. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates spatial proximity; Translation: beside; Notes: frequent in ritual directions.
  8. ostium — Lemma: ostium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: entrance; Notes: refers to the sanctuary threshold.
  9. tabernaculi — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive modifier of ostium; Translation: of the tent; Notes: first element in the genitive chain.
  10. testimonii — Lemma: testimonium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive modifying tabernaculi; Translation: of testimony; Notes: refers to the covenantal witness.

 

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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