Exodus 38:16

Posted on March 29, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 38:16 Cuncta atrii tentoria byssus retorta texuerat.

He had woven all the hangings of the court from twisted linen.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cuncta all NOM.PL.N ADJ
2 atrii of the court GEN.SG.N NOUN
3 tentoria hangings NOM.PL.N NOUN
4 byssus fine linen NOM.SG.F NOUN
5 retorta twisted NOM.SG.F PTCP.PERF.PASS
6 texuerat he had woven 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND

Syntax

Subject phrase:
Cuncta atrii tentoria — “all the hangings of the court.”
• Cuncta modifies tentoria.
• atrii = genitive of possession.

Material description:
byssus retorta — “twisted linen.”
• expresses the fabric used.
• appositional construction describing the composition of the hangings.

Main verb:
texuerat — pluperfect active; indicates the weaving was completed prior to other described construction.

Morphology

  1. Cuncta — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: modifies tentoria; Translation: all; Notes: emphasizes totality of the hangings.
  2. atrii — Lemma: atrium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of the court; Notes: designates the courtyard enclosure.
  3. tentoria — Lemma: tentorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject; Translation: hangings; Notes: refers to the fabric screens around the court.
  4. byssus — Lemma: byssus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: material description; Translation: fine linen; Notes: denotes high-quality woven linen.
  5. retorta — Lemma: retorqueo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular feminine perfect passive participle; Function: modifies byssus; Translation: twisted; Notes: describes the thread being spun tightly.
  6. texuerat — Lemma: texo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular pluperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he had woven; Notes: pluperfect indicates action completed before subsequent construction events.

 

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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