Exodus 39:12

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:12 In tertio, ligurius, achates, et amethystus.

In the third row, a ligurius, an agate, and an amethyst.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 In in PREP+ABL
2 tertio third ADJ.ABL.SG.M
3 ligurius ligure stone NOUN.NOM.SG.M
4 achates agate NOUN.NOM.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 amethystus amethyst NOUN.NOM.SG.M

Syntax

As with the previous listings, the phrase begins with the prepositional expression In tertio, an ablative of location indicating the third row of the breastpiece.

The gemstones ligurius, achates, and amethystus appear in the nominative as the items positioned in that row.

The conjunction et links the final stone in the sequence.

Morphology

  1. In — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative; Function: Introduces location; Translation: in; Notes: Marks spatial position within the four rows.
  2. tertio — Lemma: tertius; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Ablative singular masculine, first/second declension; Function: Modifies an implied noun (versu); Translation: third; Notes: Indicates the ordinal position.
  3. ligurius — Lemma: ligurius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Subject complement; Translation: ligure stone; Notes: The identity of this stone is uncertain; possibly amber or hyacinth-like.
  4. achates — Lemma: achates; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, third declension (Greek loanword); Function: Subject complement; Translation: agate; Notes: A banded variety of chalcedony.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Coordination; Translation: and; Notes: Links the last stone in the sequence.
  6. amethystus — Lemma: amethystus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Subject complement; Translation: amethyst; Notes: A violet-colored gemstone valued in antiquity.

 

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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