Exodus 38:11

Posted on March 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 38:11 Æque ad septentrionalem plagam tentoria, columnæ, basesque et capita columarum eiusdem mensuræ, et operis ac metalli, erant.

Likewise on the northern side the hangings, the columns, the bases, and the capitals of the columns were of the same measure, and workmanship, and metal.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Æque likewise ADV
2 ad to PREP+ACC
3 septentrionalem northern ACC.SG.F ADJ
4 plagam side ACC.SG.F NOUN
5 tentoria hangings NOM.PL.N NOUN
6 columnæ columns NOM.PL.F NOUN
7 basesque and bases NOM.PL.F NOUN + ENCLITIC -QUE
8 et and CONJ
9 capita capitals NOM.PL.N NOUN
10 columarum of the columns GEN.PL.F NOUN
11 eiusdem of the same GEN.SG.F/DISTR ADJ.DEM
12 mensuræ measure GEN.SG.F NOUN
13 et and CONJ
14 operis of workmanship GEN.SG.N NOUN
15 ac and CONJ
16 metalli of metal GEN.SG.N NOUN
17 erant were 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND

Syntax

Adverbial opening:
Æque ad septentrionalem plagam — “Likewise on the northern side”
• Æque sets comparison with the southern side
• ad septentrionalem plagam = directional phrase

Compound subject:
tentoria, columnæ, basesque, et capita columarum — “the hangings, the columns, the bases, and the capitals of the columns”
• Four nominative coordinate nouns

Genitive descriptors:
eiusdem mensuræ et operis ac metalli — “of the same measure and workmanship and metal”
• Three genitive nouns specifying uniformity

Verb:
erant — linking verb “were,” describing state of uniform equivalence.

Morphology

  1. Æque — Lemma: aeque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: likewise; Notes: marks parallel construction to prior description.
  2. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: directional phrase; Translation: to; Notes: used for spatial designation.
  3. septentrionalem — Lemma: septentrionalis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies plagam; Translation: northern; Notes: denotes compass direction.
  4. plagam — Lemma: plaga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ad; Translation: side; Notes: refers to one side of the courtyard.
  5. tentoria — Lemma: tentorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: part of compound subject; Translation: hangings; Notes: linen screens of the courtyard.
  6. columnæ — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject element; Translation: columns; Notes: structural supports.
  7. basesque — Lemma: basis + -que; Part of Speech: noun + enclitic; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: part of subject; Translation: and bases; Notes: enclitic -que links tightly with preceding nouns.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins nouns; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordinator.
  9. capita — Lemma: caput; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject element; Translation: capitals; Notes: decorative heads of columns.
  10. columarum — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: possession; Translation: of the columns; Notes: defines which capitals.
  11. eiusdem — Lemma: idem; Part of Speech: demonstrative adjective; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies mensuræ; Translation: of the same; Notes: expresses identical quality.
  12. mensuræ — Lemma: mensura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive complement; Translation: of measure; Notes: indicates uniform dimensions.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links descriptors; Translation: and; Notes: coordinates genitives.
  14. operis — Lemma: opus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: defines craftsmanship; Translation: of workmanship; Notes: refers to artisan quality.
  15. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links final element; Translation: and; Notes: slightly stronger connective than et.
  16. metalli — Lemma: metallum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: specifies material; Translation: of metal; Notes: identifies uniform metallic composition.
  17. erant — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd plural imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: were; Notes: describes their consistent state.

 

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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