Exodus 38:8

Posted on March 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 38:8 Fecit et labrum æneum cum basi sua de speculis mulierum, quæ excubabant in ostio tabernaculi.

And he also made the bronze basin with its base from the mirrors of the women who kept watch at the entrance of the tabernacle.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Fecit he made 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 et also CONJ
3 labrum basin ACC.SG.N NOUN
4 æneum bronze ACC.SG.N ADJ
5 cum with PREP+ABL
6 basi base ABL.SG.F NOUN
7 sua its ABL.SG.F ADJ.POSS
8 de from PREP+ABL
9 speculis mirrors ABL.PL.N NOUN
10 mulierum of the women GEN.PL.F NOUN
11 quæ who NOM.PL.F PRON.REL
12 excubabant kept watch 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND
13 in at PREP+ABL
14 ostio entrance ABL.SG.N NOUN
15 tabernaculi of the Tabernacle GEN.SG.N NOUN

Syntax

Main clause:
Fecit et labrum æneum cum basi sua — “And he made also the bronze basin with its base.”
• Object: labrum æneum
• Accompaniment: cum basi sua

Material phrase:
de speculis mulierum — “from the mirrors of the women.”
• Ablative of material: speculis
• Genitive modifier: mulierum

Relative clause:
quæ excubabant in ostio tabernaculi — “who kept watch at the entrance of the Tabernacle.”
• Subject: quae
• Verb: excubabant (continuous service)
• Location: in ostio tabernaculi

Morphology

  1. Fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he made; Notes: continues narrative craftsmanship sequence.
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: adds another constructed item; Translation: also; Notes: simple connective.
  3. labrum — Lemma: labrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: basin; Notes: basin used for priestly washing.
  4. æneum — Lemma: aeneus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies labrum; Translation: bronze; Notes: indicates material composition.
  5. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces accompanying object; Translation: with; Notes: expresses accompaniment.
  6. basi — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: complement of cum; Translation: base; Notes: support structure of the basin.
  7. sua — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies basi; Translation: its; Notes: refers to the basin’s own base.
  8. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses material origin; Translation: from; Notes: introduces substance used.
  9. speculis — Lemma: speculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: ablative of material; Translation: mirrors; Notes: polished bronze mirrors used by Israelite women.
  10. mulierum — Lemma: mulier; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: possession; Translation: of the women; Notes: highlights their role at the sanctuary.
  11. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of relative clause; Translation: who; Notes: refers to the women mentioned.
  12. excubabant — Lemma: excubo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd plural imperfect active indicative; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: kept watch; Notes: imperfect shows ongoing devotional service.
  13. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses location; Translation: at; Notes: situates the activity.
  14. ostio — Lemma: ostium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: complement of in; Translation: entrance; Notes: main doorway of the Tabernacle.
  15. tabernaculi — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies ostio; Translation: of the Tabernacle; Notes: refers to the sanctuary structure.

 

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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