Exodus 38:4

Posted on March 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 38:4 Craticulamque eius in modum retis fecit æneam, et subter eam in altaris medio arulam,

And he made its grating of bronze in the manner of a net, and beneath it, in the middle of the altar, a small projection,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Craticulamque and the grating ACC.SG.F NOUN
2 eius its GEN.SG.M/N PRON.POSS
3 in in PREP+ACC
4 modum the manner ACC.SG.M NOUN
5 retis of a net GEN.SG.F NOUN
6 fecit he made 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
7 æneam bronze ACC.SG.F ADJ
8 et and CONJ
9 subter beneath PREP+ACC
10 eam it ACC.SG.F PRON.DEM
11 in in PREP+ABL
12 altaris of the altar GEN.SG.N NOUN
13 medio middle ABL.SG.N NOUN
14 arulam a small projection ACC.SG.F NOUN

Syntax

Object of the main verb:
Craticulamque eius — “and its grating,” the direct object of fecit.

Comparative construction:
in modum retis — “in the manner of a net,” an idiomatic Latin way of saying “shaped like a net.”

Main clause:
fecit æneam — “he made it bronze,” i.e., made the grating of bronze.

Second coordinated clause:
et subter eam … arulam — “and beneath it … a small projection.”

Locative expression:
in altaris medio — “in the middle of the altar.”

Morphology

  1. Craticulamque — Lemma: craticula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine + enclitic -que; Function: direct object of fecit; Translation: and the grating; Notes: -que binds this object tightly to the previous narrative unit.
  2. eius — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine/neuter; Function: modifies craticulam; Translation: its; Notes: refers to the bronze altar.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses conformity; Translation: in; Notes: used with modum to express “in the style of.”
  4. modum — Lemma: modus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: manner; Notes: common idiom for shape or pattern.
  5. retis — Lemma: rete; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies modum; Translation: of a net; Notes: describes mesh pattern.
  6. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he made; Notes: standard narrative perfect.
  7. æneam — Lemma: aeneus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies craticulam; Translation: bronze; Notes: indicates material.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links second clause; Translation: and; Notes: simple additive connector.
  9. subter — Lemma: subter; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses spatial position; Translation: beneath; Notes: rare but classical preposition.
  10. eam — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of subter; Translation: it; Notes: refers to the grating.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: in; Notes: spatial use.
  12. altaris — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: complements medio; Translation: of the altar; Notes: identifies the central point referenced.
  13. medio — Lemma: medium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: middle; Notes: ablative of location.
  14. arulam — Lemma: arula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of implied fecit or parallel construction; Translation: small projection; Notes: diminutive denoting a small ledge or platform.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Exodus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.