Exodus 35:6

Posted on March 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 35:6 hyacinthum et purpuram, coccumque bis tinctum, et byssum, pilos caprarum,

violet, and purple, and scarlet twice-dyed, and fine linen, and goats’ hair,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 hyacinthum violet (blue) ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL
2 et and CONJ
3 purpuram purple ACC.SG.F 1ST DECL
4 coccumque and scarlet ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL + ENCLITIC -QUE
5 bis twice ADV
6 tinctum dyed ACC.SG.N PTCP.PERF.PASS 3RD CONJ
7 et and CONJ
8 byssum fine linen ACC.SG.F 2ND DECL
9 pilos hairs ACC.PL.M 2ND DECL
10 caprarum of goats GEN.PL.F 1ST DECL

Syntax

Coordinated Direct Objects:
All items (hyacinthum … pilos caprarum) belong to the continuing list of materials to be offered.
• Each object is in the accusative as part of the divine instruction “offer ….”
• coccumque uses enclitic -que linking it to *purpuram*.

Participial Modifier:
bis tinctum modifies *coccum*, specifying “scarlet twice-dyed.”

Genitive Construction:
pilos caprarum — “hairs of goats.”
• caprarum = possessive genitive.

Morphology

  1. hyacinthum — Lemma: hyacinthus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: item in the offering list; Translation: violet (blue material); Notes: refers to a blue/purple dye or cloth used in sanctuary curtains.
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins coordinated nouns; Translation: and; Notes: used repeatedly for rhythmic listing.
  3. purpuram — Lemma: purpura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: coordinated direct object; Translation: purple; Notes: costly dye from murex shells.
  4. coccumque — Lemma: coccum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter + enclitic -que; Function: coordinated object; Translation: and scarlet; Notes: enclitic -que links tightly with the previous item.
  5. bis — Lemma: bis; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies tinctum; Translation: twice; Notes: indicates double-dyed material.
  6. tinctum — Lemma: tingō; Part of Speech: participle; Form: accusative singular neuter perfect passive participle; Function: modifies coccum; Translation: dyed; Notes: describes scarlet dyeing process.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins following noun; Translation: and; Notes: simple connector.
  8. byssum — Lemma: byssus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: item in list; Translation: fine linen; Notes: high-quality linen used for vestments.
  9. pilos — Lemma: pilus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object in list; Translation: hairs; Notes: refers to goat-hair threads used for tent coverings.
  10. caprarum — Lemma: capra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of goats; Notes: identifies source of the hair.

 

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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