Exodus 31:1

Posted on March 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 31:1 Locutusque est Dominus ad Moysen, dicens:

And the LORD spoke to Moyses, saying:

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Locutusque and spoke NOM.SG.M PTCP.PERF.DEP + CONJ
2 est did 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND IRREG
3 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
4 ad to PREP+ACC INDECL
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M NOUN INDECL
6 dicens saying NOM.SG.M PTCP.PRES.ACT

Syntax

Main Verb Construction: Locutusque est — deponent perfect with auxiliary.
Subject: Dominus — refers to YHWH and is therefore translated “the LORD.”
Prepositional Phrase: ad Moysen — indirect object receiving divine speech.
Supplementary Participle: dicens — introduces the forthcoming divine instructions.

Morphology

  1. Locutusque — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: participle (deponent) + enclitic conjunction; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle; Function: part of periphrastic verb; Translation: and spoke; Notes: deponent participle functioning verbally.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third singular; Function: auxiliary with perfect participle; Translation: did; Notes: completes perfect deponent meaning.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH → therefore rendered “LORD.”
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses direction; Translation: to; Notes: introduces indirect recipient.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Moses; Notes: indeclinable biblical name.
  6. dicens — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active; Function: supplementary participle introducing speech; Translation: saying; Notes: anticipates direct divine instructions.

 

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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