Exodus 36:12

Posted on March 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 36:12 ut contra se invicem venirent ansæ, et mutuo iungerentur.

so that the loops might come opposite one another, and might be joined mutually.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ut so that CONJ.SUBORD
2 contra opposite PREP+ACC
3 se each other ACC.SG/PL PRON.REFL
4 invicem one another ADV
5 venirent might come 3PL.IMP.ACT.SUBJ
6 ansæ loops NOM.PL.F NOUN
7 et and CONJ
8 mutuo mutually ADV
9 iungerentur might be joined 3PL.IMP.PASS.SUBJ

Syntax

Purpose Clause:
ut contra se invicem venirent ansæ — “so that the loops might come opposite one another.”
• ut introduces purpose.
• venirent is imperfect subjunctive required by the purpose clause.
• contra se invicem = reciprocal placement (“opposite each other”).
• ansæ = subject.

Coordinated Purpose Verb:
et mutuo iungerentur — “and might be joined mutually.”
• iungerentur = passive imperfect subjunctive.
• mutuo = reciprocal adverb modifying the joining.
• et joins the two subjunctive verbs under the single ut.

Morphology

  1. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: subordinating conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive verbs venirent and iungerentur.
  2. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses opposition/position; Translation: opposite; Notes: forms reciprocal spatial phrase with se.
  3. se — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: reflexive pronoun; Form: accusative singular or plural (contextual reciprocal); Function: object of contra; Translation: each other; Notes: reflexive referring back to ansæ.
  4. invicem — Lemma: invicem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: strengthens reciprocal force; Translation: one another; Notes: frequently used in reciprocal actions.
  5. venirent — Lemma: venio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb in purpose clause; Translation: might come; Notes: subjunctive mandated by ut purpose construction.
  6. ansæ — Lemma: ansa; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of venirent; Translation: loops; Notes: refers to curtain loops used in joining panels.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: coordinating conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links second subjunctive verb to first under same ut clause; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates iungerentur with venirent.
  8. mutuo — Lemma: mutuo; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies iungerentur; Translation: mutually; Notes: expresses reciprocity parallel to invicem.
  9. iungerentur — Lemma: iungo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect passive subjunctive; Function: second verb in purpose clause; Translation: might be joined; Notes: passive expresses the loops being joined by external action.

 

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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