Exodus 33:16

Posted on March 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 33:16 In quo enim scire poterimus ego et populus tuus invenisse nos gratiam in conspectu tuo, nisi ambulaveris nobiscum, ut glorificemur ab omnibus populis qui habitant super terram?

For in what way shall I and your people be able to know that we have found grace in your sight, unless you will have walked with us, so that we may be glorified before all the peoples who dwell upon the earth?”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 In in PREP+ABL
2 quo in what ABL.SG.N REL.PRON
3 enim for ADV
4 scire to know INF.ACT 4TH CONJ
5 poterimus we shall be able 1PL.FUT.ACT.IND IRREG
6 ego I NOM.SG.1ST.PERS PRON
7 et and CONJ
8 populus people NOM.SG.M 2ND DECL
9 tuus your NOM.SG.M POSS.PRON
10 invenisse to have found INF.PERF.ACT 4TH CONJ
11 nos we ACC.PL.1ST.PERS PRON
12 gratiam grace ACC.SG.F 1ST DECL
13 in in PREP+ABL
14 conspectu sight ABL.SG.M 4TH DECL
15 tuo your ABL.SG.M POSS.PRON
16 nisi unless CONJ
17 ambulaveris you will have walked 2SG.FUTP.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
18 nobiscum with us PREP+ABL PRON
19 ut so that CONJ
20 glorificemur we may be glorified 1PL.PRES.PASS.SUBJ 1ST CONJ
21 ab by PREP+ABL
22 omnibus all ABL.PL.M/F ADJ POS
23 populis peoples ABL.PL.M 3RD DECL
24 qui who NOM.PL.M REL.PRON
25 habitant dwell 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
26 super upon PREP+ACC
27 terram earth ACC.SG.F 1ST DECL

Syntax

Interrogative Phrase:
In quo enim scire poterimus — “For in what (way) shall we be able to know…?”

Compound Subject:
ego et populus tuus — Moses + Israel considered together.

Indirect Statement (Accusative + Infinitive):
nos invenisse gratiam in conspectu tuo — “that we have found grace in your sight.”

Negative Condition:
nisi ambulaveris nobiscum — “unless you will have walked with us.”

Purpose Clause:
ut glorificemur ab omnibus populis… — “so that we may be glorified by all peoples…”

Relative Clause:
qui habitant super terram — describes omnibus populis.

Morphology

  1. In — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces interrogative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: idiomatic with quo.
  2. quo — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative/interrogative pronoun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: expresses “in what (way)”; Translation: in what; Notes: interrogative use.
  3. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: explanatory; Translation: for; Notes: adds rationale.
  4. scire — Lemma: scio; Part of Speech: infinitive; Form: present active infinitive; Function: completes poterimus; Translation: to know; Notes: complementary infinitive.
  5. poterimus — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: we shall be able; Notes: possum is irregular.
  6. ego — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular; Function: compound subject; Translation: I; Notes: emphatic position.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins subjects; Translation: and; Notes: simple link.
  8. populus — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: compound subject; Translation: people; Notes: refers to Israel.
  9. tuus — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies populus; Translation: your; Notes: indicates divine possession.
  10. invenisse — Lemma: invenio; Part of Speech: infinitive; Form: perfect active infinitive; Function: in indirect statement; Translation: to have found; Notes: perfect expresses prior act.
  11. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: subject of infinitive in indirect statement; Translation: we; Notes: standard ACI.
  12. gratiam — Lemma: gratia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of invenisse; Translation: grace; Notes: divine favor.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative; Translation: in; Notes: idiom “in conspectu”.
  14. conspectu — Lemma: conspectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: sight; Notes: lit. “in your sight”.
  15. tuo — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies conspectu; Translation: your; Notes: refers to the LORD.
  16. nisi — Lemma: nisi; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces negative condition; Translation: unless; Notes: restricts previous clause.
  17. ambulaveris — Lemma: ambulo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: verb of condition; Translation: you will have walked; Notes: future perfect stressing prerequisite.
  18. nobiscum — Lemma: cum + nos; Part of Speech: prepositional phrase; Form: ablative plural; Function: accompaniment; Translation: with us; Notes: enclitic form.
  19. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  20. glorificemur — Lemma: glorifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st person plural present passive subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose; Translation: we may be glorified; Notes: divine favor shown to nations.
  21. ab — Lemma: ab; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: agent; Translation: by; Notes: agent in passive constructions.
  22. omnibus — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural masculine/feminine; Function: modifies populis; Translation: all; Notes: universal scope.
  23. populis — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: agent of passive verb; Translation: peoples; Notes: nations surrounding Israel.
  24. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of habitant; Translation: who; Notes: begins relative clause.
  25. habitant — Lemma: habito; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active indicative; Function: main verb of relative clause; Translation: dwell; Notes: describes the nations.
  26. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: spatial; Translation: upon; Notes: literal position.
  27. terram — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: earth; Notes: global perspective.

 

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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