Exodus 30:12

Posted on March 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

12 Quando tuleris summam filiorum Israel iuxta numerum, dabunt singuli pretium pro animabus suis Domino, et non erit plaga in eis, cum fuerint recensiti.

When you take the sum of the sons of Israel according to their number, each one shall give a price for his soul to the LORD, and there shall be no plague among them when they have been counted.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quando when ADV REL INDECL
2 tuleris you take 2SG.FUTP.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
3 summam the sum ACC.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL
4 filiorum of the sons GEN.PL.M NOUN 2ND DECL
5 Israel Israel GEN.SG.M NOUN INDECL
6 iuxta according to PREP+ACC INDECL
7 numerum the number ACC.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
8 dabunt they shall give 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
9 singuli each one NOM.PL.M ADJ INDEF
10 pretium a price ACC.SG.N NOUN 2ND DECL
11 pro for PREP+ABL INDECL
12 animabus souls ABL.PL.F NOUN 3RD DECL
13 suis their / their own ABL.PL.F ADJ REFL
14 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
15 et and CONJ INDECL
16 non not ADV INDECL
17 erit there shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND IRREG
18 plaga a plague NOM.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL
19 in in PREP+ABL INDECL
20 eis in them ABL.PL.M PRON DEM
21 cum when CONJ INDECL
22 fuerint they have been 3PL.FUTP.ACT.IND IRREG
23 recensiti counted NOM.PL.M PTCP.PERF.PASS

Syntax

Temporal Clause: Quando tuleris summam filiorum Israel — introduces the census context.
Prepositional Phrase: iuxta numerum — defines census according to enumeration.
Main Clause: dabunt singuli pretium pro animabus suis Domino — each man gives ransom-price to the LORD.
Negative Result Clause: et non erit plaga in eis — ensures no plague occurs.
Temporal Subclause: cum fuerint recensiti — attaches condition to the census completion.

Morphology

  1. Quando — Lemma: quando; Part of Speech: adverb (temporal/relative); Form: invariable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: when; Notes: standard census-law formula.
  2. tuleris — Lemma: tollo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect active indicative second singular; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: you take; Notes: census taking is seen as completed action in future.
  3. summam — Lemma: summa; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of tuleris; Translation: the sum; Notes: refers to total census count.
  4. filiorum — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies summam; Translation: of the sons; Notes: idiomatic expression for Israelites.
  5. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies filiorum; Translation: Israel; Notes: indeclinable in Latin.
  6. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses conformity; Translation: according to; Notes: introduces census methodology.
  7. numerum — Lemma: numerus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: number; Notes: refers to system of enumeration.
  8. dabunt — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative third plural; Function: main verb; Translation: they shall give; Notes: mandatory ransom payment.
  9. singuli — Lemma: singuli; Part of Speech: adjective (distributive); Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of dabunt; Translation: each one; Notes: stresses individual responsibility.
  10. pretium — Lemma: pretium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of dabunt; Translation: price; Notes: ransom-price for life.
  11. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses substitution; Translation: for; Notes: “in place of their lives.”
  12. animabus — Lemma: anima; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of pro; Translation: souls; Notes: represents persons’ lives.
  13. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive reflexive adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies animabus; Translation: their own; Notes: refers back to subject singuli.
  14. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH according to rule.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links to result clause; Translation: and; Notes: continues legislative outcome.
  16. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: introduces protective result.
  17. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative third singular; Function: verb of result clause; Translation: there shall be; Notes: ensures divine protection.
  18. plaga — Lemma: plaga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of erit; Translation: plague; Notes: recalls punitive outbreaks due to improper census.
  19. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative expression; Translation: in; Notes: “in them.”
  20. eis — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: them; Notes: refers to Israelites counted.
  21. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: when; Notes: governs completing census condition.
  22. fuerint — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect active indicative third plural; Function: verb of temporal subclause; Translation: they have been; Notes: completed action in future.
  23. recensiti — Lemma: recenseo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative plural masculine perfect passive participle; Function: complement of fuerint; Translation: counted; Notes: describes census completion.

 

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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