Exodus 32:27

Posted on March 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 32:27 quibus ait: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israel: Ponat vir gladium super femur suum: ite, et redite de porta usque ad portam per medium castrorum, et occidat unusquisque fratrem, et amicum, et proximum suum.

to whom he said: “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let each man put a sword upon his thigh; go, and return from gate to gate through the midst of the camp, and let each one kill his brother and his friend and his neighbor.’”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 quibus to whom DAT.PL.M/F PRON REL
2 ait he said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND IRREG
3 Hæc these things NOM.PL.N PRON DEM
4 dicit says 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
5 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
6 Deus God NOM.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
7 Israel Israel GEN.SG.M NOUN INDECL
8 Ponat let him place 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.ACT 3RD CONJ
9 vir man NOM.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
10 gladium sword ACC.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
11 super upon PREP+ACC
12 femur thigh ACC.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
13 suum his own ACC.SG.N PRON POSS
14 ite go 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP IRREG
15 et and CONJ INDECL
16 redite return 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMP 3RD CONJ
17 de from PREP+ABL
18 porta gate ABL.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL
19 usque unto ADV INDECL
20 ad to PREP+ACC
21 portam gate ACC.SG.F NOUN 1ST DECL
22 per through PREP+ACC
23 medium midst ACC.SG.N ADJ POS
24 castrorum of the camp GEN.PL.N NOUN 2ND DECL
25 et and CONJ INDECL
26 occidat let him kill 3SG.PRES.SUBJ.ACT 3RD CONJ
27 unusquisque each one NOM.SG.M PRON INDEF
28 fratrem brother ACC.SG.M NOUN 3RD DECL
29 et and CONJ INDECL
30 amicum friend ACC.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
31 et and CONJ INDECL
32 proximum neighbor ACC.SG.M ADJ SUBST POS
33 suum his own ACC.SG.M PRON POSS

Syntax

Introductory Relative Clause:
quibus ait — “to whom he said”
• quibus = dative plural relative pronoun, indirect object of the verb of speaking.
• ait = narrative verb introducing the divine decree.

Divine Proclamation Formula:
Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israel — “Thus says the LORD God of Israel”
• Hæc = nominative neuter plural (“these things”).
• dicit = historic or gnomic present, introducing divine oracle.
• Dominus Deus Israel = full titular subject (“the LORD God of Israel”).

First Jussive Command:
Ponat vir gladium super femur suum
• Ponat = third singular present subjunctive, jussive (“let him put”).
• vir = distributive subject (“each man”).
• gladium = direct object.
• super femur suum = directional phrase (weapon at the warrior’s thigh).

Second Imperative Sequence:
ite, et redite de porta usque ad portam per medium castrorum
• ite, redite = coordinated plural imperatives.
• de porta … ad portam = route from one gate to another.
• per medium castrorum = through the center of the camp.

Final Jussive Command:
et occidat unusquisque fratrem et amicum et proximum suum
• occidat = jussive subjunctive (“let him kill”).
• unusquisque = subject, highlighting individual responsibility.
• Triple object: fratrem, amicum, proximum suum intensifies the severity.

Morphology

  1. quibus — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun (relative); Form: dative plural masculine/feminine; Function: indirect object of ait; Translation: to whom; Notes: Dative of recipient for the addressed group (the sons of Levi).
  2. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: main verb of speaking; Translation: he said; Notes: Irregular verb used almost exclusively to introduce direct speech.
  3. Hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: pronoun (demonstrative); Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: grammatical subject of dicit; Translation: these things; Notes: Neuter plural referring to the content of the message.
  4. dicit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active indicative; Function: introduces divine speech; Translation: says; Notes: Present tense gives solemn, timeless force (“thus says”).
  5. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: title in apposition to Deus; Translation: LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH and must be translated “LORD” according to your rule.
  6. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: appositional noun completing the divine title; Translation: God; Notes: Together “LORD God” renders Hebrew “YHWH ʾElohim.”
  7. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine (indeclinable stem with genitive sense); Function: genitive of relation; Translation: of Israel; Notes: Specifies the covenant people whose God is speaking.
  8. Ponat — Lemma: pono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: jussive command; Translation: let him place; Notes: Subjunctive expresses command directed to each individual man.
  9. vir — Lemma: vir; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of Ponat; Translation: man; Notes: Distributive: each man of the Levites is included.
  10. gladium — Lemma: gladius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of Ponat; Translation: sword; Notes: Instrument chosen for executing judgment.
  11. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: takes accusative here; Function: indicates position above/against; Translation: upon; Notes: With accusative emphasizing placement onto the thigh.
  12. femur — Lemma: femur; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of super; Translation: thigh; Notes: Typical location of a warrior’s sword, symbolizing readiness.
  13. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: possessive modifier of femur; Translation: his own; Notes: Reflexive, referring back to each individual vir.
  14. ite — Lemma: eo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active imperative; Function: direct command to the group; Translation: go; Notes: Starts the marching order given to the Levites.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination of imperatives; Translation: and; Notes: Links “go” and “return” as part of one mission.
  16. redite — Lemma: redeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person plural present active imperative; Function: second command; Translation: return; Notes: Implies sweeping movement across the camp and back.
  17. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: marks point of origin; Translation: from; Notes: Introduces spatial starting point.
  18. porta — Lemma: porta; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: gate; Notes: First camp gate as the starting boundary.
  19. usque — Lemma: usque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: adverbial limiter, working with ad; Translation: unto; Notes: Forms the idiom “usque ad” indicating extent up to a limit.
  20. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates destination; Translation: to; Notes: Completes the phrase “unto the gate.”
  21. portam — Lemma: porta; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ad; Translation: gate; Notes: Second gate, the far boundary of the circuit.
  22. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses route; Translation: through; Notes: Marks the path taken through the camp.
  23. medium — Lemma: medius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: substantive object of per; Translation: midst; Notes: Indicates the central area (“the middle”) of the camp.
  24. castrorum — Lemma: castra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: of the camp; Notes: Military term used for Israel’s encampment.
  25. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins previous movement commands with the killing command; Translation: and; Notes: Simple coordinator continuing the sequence.
  26. occidat — Lemma: occido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: jussive command; Translation: let him kill; Notes: Subjunctive used as a strong directive to each participant.
  27. unusquisque — Lemma: unusquisque; Part of Speech: pronoun (indefinite distributive); Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of occidat; Translation: each one; Notes: Stresses individual responsibility for executing the command.
  28. fratrem — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: first object of occidat; Translation: brother; Notes: Literal kinship; the judgment cuts across family ties.
  29. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links coordinated objects; Translation: and; Notes: Signals a list of multiple victims.
  30. amicum — Lemma: amicus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: second object of occidat; Translation: friend; Notes: Highlights that even close friendship offers no exemption.
  31. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces final item in the series; Translation: and; Notes: Coordinates the last member of the triad.
  32. proximum — Lemma: proximus; Part of Speech: adjective (used substantively); Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: third object of occidat; Translation: neighbor; Notes: Refers to one’s fellow Israelite within the community.
  33. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: possessive modifier of proximum; Translation: his own; Notes: Reflexive; each man’s “own” brother, friend, and neighbor may be in view.

 

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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