Exodus 32:1

Posted on March 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 32:1 Videns autem populus quod moram faceret descendendi de monte Moyses, congregatus adversus Aaron, dixit: Surge, fac nobis deos, qui nos præcedant: Moysi enim huic viro, qui nos eduxit de Terra Ægypti, ignoramus quid acciderit.

And the people, seeing that Moyses delayed to come down from the mountain, gathered against Aaron and said: “Rise, make for us gods to go before us; for this Moyses, the man who led us out of the Land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Videns seeing NOM.SG.M PTCP.PRES.ACT 3RD CONJ
2 autem however CONJ INDECL
3 populus the people NOM.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
4 quod that CONJ/PRON REL NOM/ACC.SG.N
5 moram delay ACC.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL
6 faceret was making 3SG.IMP.ACT.SUBJ 3RD CONJ
7 descendendi of descending GEN.SG GERUND
8 de from PREP+ABL INDECL
9 monte mountain ABL.SG.M NOUN 3RD DECL
10 Moyses Moses NOM.SG.M NOUN INDECL
11 congregatus having gathered NOM.SG.M PTCP.PERF.PASS 1ST CONJ
12 adversus against PREP+ACC INDECL
13 Aaron Aaron ACC.SG.M NOUN INDECL
14 dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
15 Surge rise 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD 3RD CONJ
16 fac make 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD 3RD CONJ
17 nobis for us DAT.PL.1ST.PERS PRON
18 deos gods ACC.PL.M NOUN 2ND DECL
19 qui who NOM.PL.M PRON REL
20 nos us ACC.PL.1ST.PERS PRON
21 præcedant may go before 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ 3RD CONJ
22 Moysi of Moses GEN.SG.M NOUN INDECL
23 enim for CONJ INDECL
24 huic this DAT.SG.M PRON DEM
25 viro man DAT.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
26 qui who NOM.SG.M PRON REL
27 nos us ACC.PL.1ST.PERS PRON
28 eduxit brought out 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
29 de from PREP+ABL INDECL
30 Terra Land ABL.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL
31 Ægypti of Egypt GEN.SG.F NOUN INDECL
32 ignoramus we do not know 1PL.PRES.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
33 quid what NOM/ACC.SG.N PRON INTERROG
34 acciderit has happened 3SG.FUTP.ACT.SUBJ 3RD CONJ

Syntax

Main Narrative Frame:
Videns autem populus quod moram faceret descendendi de monte Moyses — circumstantial participial clause describing perception.

Primary Verb of Action:
congregatus adversus Aaron — ablative absolute-like participial expression describing hostile assembly.

Speech Introduction:
dixit: introduces direct speech.

Direct Command:
Surge, fac nobis deos — two imperatives commanding Aaron.

Relative Clause of Purpose:
qui nos præcedant — requested gods must “go before” the people.

Explanatory Clause:
Moysi enim huic viro … ignoramus quid acciderit — justification for the request.

Relative Description:
qui nos eduxit de Terra Ægypti — identifies Moses as deliverer.

Interrogative Clause:
quid acciderit — expresses uncertainty about Moses’ fate.

Morphology

  1. Videns — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine present active participle; Function: circumstantial modifier; Translation: seeing; Notes: introduces perception-based clause.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connective particle; Translation: however; Notes: contrasts with preceding narrative.
  3. populus — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: the people; Notes: refers to Israel.
  4. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction/pronoun; Form: neuter; Function: introduces object clause; Translation: that; Notes: governs subordinate clause.
  5. moram — Lemma: mora; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of faceret; Translation: delay; Notes: denotes hindrance or slowness.
  6. faceret — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active subjunctive third singular; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: was making; Notes: subjunctive in indirect statement.
  7. descendendi — Lemma: descendo; Part of Speech: gerund (primary classification); Form: genitive singular; Function: modifies moram; Translation: of descending; Notes: Gerund Explanation (primary): verbal noun expressing “delay of descending.” Gerundive Explanation (alternative): may be understood as gerundive with implied noun (actus, tempus), meaning “delay of the descent,” though less likely here.
  8. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses origin; Translation: from; Notes: standard ablative of separation.
  9. monte — Lemma: mons; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of de; Translation: mountain; Notes: refers to Sinai.
  10. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: nominative by position; Translation: Moses; Notes: treated as indeclinable in Vulgate prose.
  11. congregatus — Lemma: congrego; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect passive; Function: describes assembled state; Translation: having gathered; Notes: expresses hostile mobilization.
  12. adversus — Lemma: adversus; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses opposition; Translation: against; Notes: intensifies rebellion.
  13. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: object of adversus; Translation: Aaron; Notes: high priest and brother of Moses.
  14. dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third singular; Function: introduces direct speech; Translation: said; Notes: narrative verb.
  15. Surge — Lemma: surgo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative second singular; Function: command; Translation: rise; Notes: urgent plea.
  16. fac — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative second singular; Function: command; Translation: make; Notes: demands idol manufacture.
  17. nobis — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: for us; Notes: “for our benefit.”
  18. deos — Lemma: deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: gods; Notes: idolatrous demand.
  19. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of subordinate clause; Translation: who; Notes: relative clause.
  20. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: object of præcedant; Translation: us; Notes: Israel as the led group.
  21. præcedant — Lemma: præcedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive third plural; Function: expresses purpose; Translation: may go before; Notes: recalls pillar of cloud motif.
  22. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular; Function: possessive; Translation: of Moses; Notes: identifies absent leader.
  23. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: explanatory; Translation: for; Notes: introduces justification.
  24. huic — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: modifies viro; Translation: this; Notes: direct reference to Moses.
  25. viro — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: man; Notes: descriptor of Moses.
  26. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: who; Notes: relative clause.
  27. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: object of eduxit; Translation: us; Notes: Israel delivered from slavery.
  28. eduxit — Lemma: educo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third singular; Function: describes past saving act; Translation: brought out; Notes: refers to Exodus.
  29. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses origin; Translation: from; Notes: removal out of Egypt.
  30. Terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: land; Notes: geographic phrase.
  31. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of Egypt; Notes: identifies territory of bondage.
  32. ignoramus — Lemma: ignoro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative first plural; Function: expresses ignorance; Translation: we do not know; Notes: central confession of uncertainty.
  33. quid — Lemma: quis/quid; Part of Speech: interrogative pronoun; Form: neuter singular; Function: introduces indirect question; Translation: what; Notes: interrogative content.
  34. acciderit — Lemma: accido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future perfect active subjunctive third singular; Function: verb of indirect question; Translation: has happened; Notes: expresses uncertainty about Moses’ fate.

 

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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