Exodus 30:21

Posted on March 21, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 30:21 ne forte moriantur. legitimum sempiternum erit ipsi, et semini eius per successiones.

lest they should die. It shall be an everlasting statute for him and for his offspring throughout their generations.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ne lest CONJ SUBJ INDECL
2 forte perhaps ADV INDECL
3 moriantur they may die 3PL.PRES.SUBJ.DEP
4 legitimum statute NOM.SG.N ADJ POS
5 sempiternum everlasting NOM.SG.N ADJ POS
6 erit it shall be 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
7 ipsi for him DAT.SG.M PRON DEM
8 et and CONJ INDECL
9 semini to his offspring DAT.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
10 eius his GEN.SG.M PRON POSS
11 per through PREP+ACC INDECL
12 successiones generations ACC.PL.F NOUN 3RD DECL

Syntax

Prohibitive Clause: ne forte moriantur — “lest they may die,” a negative-purpose clause with subjunctive.
Main Clause: legitimum sempiternum erit — nominal predicate stating a permanent law.
Indirect Beneficiaries: ipsi and semini eius — identify those bound to the statute.
Prepositional Phrase: per successiones — marks continuity across generations.

Morphology

  1. ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces negative-purpose clause; Translation: lest; Notes: standard cultic warning formula.
  2. forte — Lemma: forte; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: softens the warning; Translation: perhaps; Notes: adds nuance of potential danger.
  3. moriantur — Lemma: morior; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive third plural deponent; Function: verb of negative-purpose clause; Translation: they may die; Notes: deponent but semantically active.
  4. legitimum — Lemma: legitimus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: statute; Notes: modifying implied *praeceptum*.
  5. sempiternum — Lemma: sempiternus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: second predicate adjective; Translation: everlasting; Notes: emphasizes perpetual binding force.
  6. erit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative third singular; Function: main verb; Translation: it shall be; Notes: future of legal prescription.
  7. ipsi — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect beneficiary; Translation: for him; Notes: refers to Aaron.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins beneficiaries; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  9. semini — Lemma: semen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular neuter; Function: indirect beneficiary; Translation: to his offspring; Notes: refers to priestly lineage.
  10. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies semini; Translation: his; Notes: refers back to Aaron.
  11. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses duration; Translation: through; Notes: indicates generational continuity.
  12. successiones — Lemma: successio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of per; Translation: generations; Notes: marks hereditary transmission.

 

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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