Exodus 29:37

Posted on March 20, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 29:37 Septem diebus expiabis altare, et sanctificabis, et erit Sanctum sanctorum. omnis, qui tetigerit illud, sanctificabitur.

For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and you shall sanctify it, and it shall be Holy of holies. Whoever touches it shall be sanctified.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Septem seven INDECL NUM
2 diebus days ABL.PL.M NOUN 5TH DECL
3 expiabis you shall atone for 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
4 altare altar ACC.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
5 et and CONJ INDECL
6 sanctificabis you shall sanctify 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
7 et and CONJ INDECL
8 erit it shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
9 Sanctum Holy NOM.SG.N ADJ POS
10 sanctorum of holies GEN.PL.N NOUN 2ND DECL
11 omnis every / whoever NOM.SG.M/F PRON INDEF
12 qui who NOM.SG.M PRON REL
13 tetigerit shall touch 3SG.FUTP.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
14 illud it ACC.SG.N PRON DEM
15 sanctificabitur shall be sanctified 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND 1ST CONJ

Syntax

Temporal Phrase: Septem diebus expresses the duration of ritual atonement.
Main Clause 1: expiabis altare — action of purifying the altar.
Main Clause 2: sanctificabis continues the consecration sequence.
Main Clause 3: erit Sanctum sanctorum — predicate naming with superlative sacred formula.
Generic Clause: omnis qui tetigerit illud sanctificabitur — universal conditional: anyone who touches the altar becomes holy.

Morphology

  1. Septem — Lemma: septem; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies diebus; Translation: seven; Notes: expresses ritual duration.
  2. diebus — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: ablative of time; Translation: days; Notes: time within which consecration occurs.
  3. expiabis — Lemma: expio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future indicative active second singular; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall atone for; Notes: describes ritual purification process.
  4. altare — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of expiabis; Translation: altar; Notes: cultic object being consecrated.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates actions; Translation: and; Notes: joins sequential rites.
  6. sanctificabis — Lemma: sanctifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future indicative active second singular; Function: second main verb; Translation: you shall sanctify; Notes: expresses consecration of altar.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces new result clause; Translation: and; Notes: marks progression.
  8. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future indicative active third singular; Function: main verb of result; Translation: it shall be; Notes: future state of altar.
  9. Sanctum — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: Holy; Notes: part of superlative sacred formula.
  10. sanctorum — Lemma: sanctum; Part of Speech: noun (substantive); Form: genitive plural neuter; Function: genitive of superlative; Translation: of holies; Notes: idiomatic expression meaning “Holiness supreme.”
  11. omnis — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun/adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine/feminine; Function: subject of sanctificabitur; Translation: whoever; Notes: universal referent.
  12. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of tetigerit; Translation: who; Notes: introduces defining clause.
  13. tetigerit — Lemma: tango; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect active indicative third singular; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: shall touch; Notes: action completed before sanctification.
  14. illud — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of tetigerit; Translation: it; Notes: refers to altar.
  15. sanctificabitur — Lemma: sanctifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future passive indicative third singular; Function: main verb; Translation: shall be sanctified; Notes: expresses result of touching the altar.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Exodus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.