Exodus 39:13

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:13 In quarto, chrysolithus, onychinus, et beryllus, circumdati et inclusi auro per ordines suos.

In the fourth row, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a beryl, surrounded and set in gold according to their rows.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 In in PREP+ABL
2 quarto fourth ADJ.ABL.SG.M
3 chrysolithus chrysolite NOUN.NOM.SG.M
4 onychinus onyx ADJ.NOM.SG.M
5 et and CONJ
6 beryllus beryl NOUN.NOM.SG.M
7 circumdati surrounded PTCP.PERF.PASS.NOM.PL.M
8 et and CONJ
9 inclusi set PTCP.PERF.PASS.NOM.PL.M
10 auro in gold NOUN.ABL.SG.N
11 per through / according to PREP+ACC
12 ordines rows NOUN.ACC.PL.M
13 suos their own ADJ.POSS.ACC.PL.M

Syntax

The phrase In quarto again serves as an ablative of location, referring to the fourth row of the breastpiece.

The gemstones chrysolithus, onychinus, and beryllus stand in the nominative as the items positioned in that row, with onychinus functioning adjectivally (“onyx-like stone”).

The participles circumdati and inclusi describe the manner of their setting: they were “surrounded” and “set.” Both are nominative plural masculine, matching the understood subject “stones.”

The ablative auro expresses the material in which the stones were set.

The prepositional phrase per ordines suos indicates distribution—“according to their rows.” The possessive adjective suos refers back to the stones arranged in proper sequence.

Morphology

  1. In — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative; Function: Introduces location; Translation: in; Notes: Refers to placement within the gem rows.
  2. quarto — Lemma: quartus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Modifies an implied noun (versu); Translation: fourth; Notes: Indicates the ordinal position of the row.
  3. chrysolithus — Lemma: chrysolithus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Subject complement; Translation: chrysolite; Notes: A yellowish gemstone, possibly peridot.
  4. onychinus — Lemma: onychinus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Nominative singular masculine; Function: Modifies an implied noun (lapis); Translation: onyx; Notes: Means “onyx-like”; functions substantivally here.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Coordinates final item; Translation: and; Notes: Connects items in the gemstone list.
  6. beryllus — Lemma: beryllus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Subject complement; Translation: beryl; Notes: A precious blue-green stone.
  7. circumdati — Lemma: circumdo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Perfect passive participle, nominative plural masculine; Function: Modifies the implied stones; Translation: surrounded; Notes: Describes the setting of the stones.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects participles; Translation: and; Notes: Continues the coordinated description.
  9. inclusi — Lemma: includo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Perfect passive participle, nominative plural masculine; Function: Modifies the implied stones; Translation: set; Notes: Indicates they were set into a gold frame.
  10. auro — Lemma: aurum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter, second declension; Function: Ablative of material; Translation: in gold; Notes: Indicates the material in which the stones were embedded.
  11. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the accusative; Function: Expresses distribution or arrangement; Translation: according to; Notes: Indicates orderly placement.
  12. ordines — Lemma: ordo; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine, third declension; Function: Object of per; Translation: rows; Notes: Refers to rows on the breastpiece.
  13. suos — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: Possessive adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies ordines; Translation: their own; Notes: Indicates proper, assigned arrangement.

 

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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