Exodus 38:10

Posted on March 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 38:10 columnæ æneæ viginti cum basibus suis, capita columnarum, et tota operis cælatura, argentea.

twenty bronze columns with their bases, the capitals of the columns, and all the engraving of the work, were silver.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 columnæ columns NOM.PL.F NOUN
2 æneæ bronze NOM.PL.F ADJ
3 viginti twenty INDECL.NUM
4 cum with PREP+ABL
5 basibus bases ABL.PL.F NOUN
6 suis their ABL.PL.F ADJ.POSS
7 capita capitals NOM.PL.N NOUN
8 columnarum of the columns GEN.PL.F NOUN
9 et and CONJ
10 tota all NOM.SG.F ADJ
11 operis of the work GEN.SG.N NOUN
12 cælatura engraving NOM.SG.F NOUN
13 argentea silver NOM.SG.F ADJ

Syntax

Nominative phrase:
columnæ æneæ viginti — “twenty bronze columns”
• columnæ = subject
• æneæ = material adjective
• viginti = numeral

Accompaniment phrase:
cum basibus suis — “with their bases”
• ablative after cum

Additional nominative items:
capita columnarum — “the capitals of the columns”
• headpieces belonging to the columns

Final nominative clause:
et tota operis cælatura argentea — “and all the engraving of the work was silver.”
• tota cælatura = subject phrase
• argentea = predicate adjective

Morphology

  1. columnæ — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject; Translation: columns; Notes: structural supports of the courtyard.
  2. æneæ — Lemma: aeneus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: modifies columnæ; Translation: bronze; Notes: describes material.
  3. viginti — Lemma: viginti; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: quantifier; Translation: twenty; Notes: standard cardinal numeral.
  4. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces accompaniment; Translation: with; Notes: denotes attached elements.
  5. basibus — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: complement of cum; Translation: bases; Notes: the supports on which the columns rested.
  6. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies basibus; Translation: their; Notes: indicates inherent belonging.
  7. capita — Lemma: caput; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: additional subject element; Translation: capitals; Notes: decorative or functional tops of columns.
  8. columnarum — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the columns; Notes: identifies ownership.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins final clause; Translation: and; Notes: connective.
  10. tota — Lemma: totus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: modifies cælatura; Translation: all; Notes: expresses totality.
  11. operis — Lemma: opus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: specifies type of engraving; Translation: of the work; Notes: denotes craftsmanship.
  12. cælatura — Lemma: caelatura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: engraving; Notes: decorative metalwork.
  13. argentea — Lemma: argenteus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: silver; Notes: identifies the metal used.

 

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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