Exodus 31:8

Posted on March 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 31:8 mensamque et vasa eius, candelabrum purissimum cum vasis suis, et altaris thymiamatis,

the table and its vessels, the pure lampstand with its vessels, and the altar of incense,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 mensamque and the table ACC.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL + CONJ
2 et and CONJ INDECL
3 vasa the vessels ACC.PL.N NOUN 2ND DECL
4 eius its GEN.SG.3RD.PERS PRON POSS
5 candelabrum the lampstand ACC.SG.N NOUN 2ND DECL
6 purissimum most pure ACC.SG.N ADJ SUPER
7 cum with PREP+ABL INDECL
8 vasis vessels ABL.PL.N NOUN 2ND DECL
9 suis its ABL.PL.N PRON POSS REFLEXIVE
10 et and CONJ INDECL
11 altaris of the altar GEN.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
12 thymiamatis of incense GEN.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL

Syntax

Coordinated Direct Objects: mensam, vasa eius, candelabrum purissimum cum vasis suis, altaris thymiamatis — all belong to the list of sacred furniture to be anointed (verb supplied from context).
Genitives: eius, suis, altaris, thymiamatis — possessive or descriptive, specifying ownership or material identity.
Prepositional Phrase: cum vasis suis — accompanies the lampstand.
Enclitic: -que joins mensam to the coordinated list.

Morphology

  1. mensamque — Lemma: mensa; Part of Speech: noun + enclitic conjunction; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: coordinated direct object; Translation: and the table; Notes: enclitic links this item to the sequence.
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins coordinated items; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordinating particle.
  3. vasa — Lemma: vas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: the vessels; Notes: liturgical implements of the table.
  4. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: possessive modifier; Translation: its; Notes: refers back to mensa.
  5. candelabrum — Lemma: candelabrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: the lampstand; Notes: refers to the Menorah.
  6. purissimum — Lemma: purus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter superlative; Function: modifies candelabrum; Translation: most pure; Notes: SUPER degree per system.
  7. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: accompaniment; Translation: with; Notes: standard prepositional complement.
  8. vasis — Lemma: vas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: object of cum; Translation: vessels; Notes: indicates accompanying tools.
  9. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: ablative plural; Function: reflexive possessive; Translation: its; Notes: refers to candelabrum.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: joins final object group.
  11. altaris — Lemma: altar; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies thymiamatis; Translation: of the altar; Notes: descriptive genitive specifying type of altar.
  12. thymiamatis — Lemma: thymiamatis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive of specification; Translation: of incense; Notes: specifies altar’s liturgical function.

 

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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