Exodus 34:20

Posted on March 25, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 34:20 Primogenitum asini redimes ove: sin autem nec pretium pro eo dederis, occidetur. Primogenitum filiorum tuorum redimes: nec apparebis in conspectu meo vacuus.

The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; but if you will not give a price for it, it shall be killed. The firstborn of your sons you shall redeem, and you shall not appear before me empty.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Primogenitum firstborn ACC.SG.N NOUN 2ND DECL
2 asini of a donkey GEN.SG.M 2ND DECL
3 redimes you shall redeem 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
4 ove with a sheep ABL.SG.F 3RD DECL
5 sin but if CONJ
6 autem however CONJ
7 nec nor / not CONJ
8 pretium price ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL
9 pro for PREP+ABL
10 eo it ABL.SG.N DEM.PRON
11 dederis you will have given 2SG.FUTP.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
12 occidetur it shall be killed 3SG.FUT.PASS.IND 3RD CONJ
13 Primogenitum firstborn ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL
14 filiorum of sons GEN.PL.M 2ND DECL
15 tuorum your GEN.PL.M POSS.ADJ
16 redimes you shall redeem 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
17 nec nor / and not CONJ
18 apparebis you shall appear 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND 2ND CONJ
19 in in PREP+ABL
20 conspectu sight / presence ABL.SG.M 4TH DECL
21 meo my ABL.SG.M POSS.ADJ
22 vacuus empty NOM.SG.M ADJ 1ST/2ND DECL

Syntax

Clause 1:
Primogenitum asini redimes ove
• Primogenitum asini = direct object phrase (“the firstborn of a donkey”).
• redimes = future indicative with legal-imperative force.
• ove = ablative of price/substitution.

Conditional Clause:
sin autem nec pretium pro eo dederis, occidetur
• sin autem introduces an alternative legal condition.
• nec pretium … dederis = future perfect (“if you will not have given the price”).
• occidetur = passive decree (“it shall be killed”).

Clause 2:
Primogenitum filiorum tuorum redimes
• Parallel to clause 1 but applied to human firstborn.

Clause 3:
nec apparebis in conspectu meo vacuus
• nec links prohibition to the preceding laws.
• apparebis = “you shall appear.”
• in conspectu meo = idiom for appearing before YHWH.
• vacuus = predicate adjective (“empty, with nothing”).

Morphology

  1. Primogenitum — Lemma: prīmōgenitus; Part of Speech: noun/adjective used substantively; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of redimes; Translation: firstborn; Notes: neuter used broadly for firstborn offspring of animals.
  2. asini — Lemma: asinus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: defines species whose firstborn requires redemption; Translation: of a donkey; Notes: donkeys were unclean animals, hence required substitution.
  3. redimes — Lemma: redimō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future active indicative; Function: legal command; Translation: you shall redeem; Notes: future indicative expresses obligation in legal contexts.
  4. ove — Lemma: ovis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of substitution; Translation: with a sheep; Notes: indicates the required redeeming animal.
  5. sin — Lemma: sī; Part of Speech: conditional conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces alternative condition; Translation: but if; Notes: stronger conditional marker.
  6. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: adds nuance to condition; Translation: however; Notes: often lightly adversative.
  7. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: negative conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: negates the following phrase; Translation: nor / not; Notes: extends negation to the price.
  8. pretium — Lemma: pretium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object of dederis; Translation: price; Notes: the ransom value.
  9. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses substitution; Translation: for; Notes: common in legal vocabulary.
  10. eo — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of pro; Translation: it; Notes: refers to the donkey’s firstborn.
  11. dederis — Lemma: dō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future perfect active indicative; Function: conditional protasis; Translation: you will have given; Notes: future perfect marks prior obligation.
  12. occidetur — Lemma: occīdō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular future passive indicative; Function: apodosis of condition; Translation: it shall be killed; Notes: mandated destruction if redemption fails.
  13. Primogenitum — Lemma: prīmōgenitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: firstborn; Notes: human context here.
  14. filiorum — Lemma: fīlius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: specifies whose firstborn; Translation: of sons; Notes: applies to the family household.
  15. tuorum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies filiorum; Translation: your; Notes: covenantal responsibility.
  16. redimes — Lemma: redimō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future active indicative; Function: legal obligation; Translation: you shall redeem; Notes: repetition reinforces duty.
  17. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: negative conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links prohibition; Translation: nor; Notes: continues legal instruction.
  18. apparebis — Lemma: appareō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall appear; Notes: refers to cultic festivals.
  19. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces spatial phrase; Translation: in; Notes: literal presence before YHWH.
  20. conspectu — Lemma: conspectus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, 4th declension; Function: object of in; Translation: presence / sight; Notes: cultic term.
  21. meo — Lemma: meus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies conspectu; Translation: my; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  22. vacuus — Lemma: vacuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective of apparebis; Translation: empty; Notes: denotes appearing without an offering.

 

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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