Exodus 39:21

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:21 et capitium in superiori parte contra medium, oramque per gyrum capitii textilem:

and the opening at the upper part, opposite the middle, and the woven border all around the opening;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 capitium opening NOUN.ACC.SG.N
3 in in PREP+ABL
4 superiori upper ADJ.ABL.SG.F
5 parte part NOUN.ABL.SG.F
6 contra opposite PREP+ACC
7 medium middle NOUN.ACC.SG.N
8 oramque and the border NOUN.ACC.SG.F+ENCL
9 per through / around PREP+ACC
10 gyrum circumference NOUN.ACC.SG.M
11 capitii of the opening NOUN.GEN.SG.N
12 textilem woven ADJ.ACC.SG.F

Syntax

The conjunction et joins this clause to the preceding description of the tunic.

The direct object capitium (“the opening”) is specified further by two prepositional expressions:

  • in superiori parte — “in the upper part”
  • contra medium — “opposite the middle,” i.e., aligned centrally

A second coordinated object appears in oramque (“and the border”), which is described by:

  • per gyrum capitii — “around the circumference of the opening”
  • textilem — “woven,” modifying oram

The verse describes the architecture of the tunic’s neck-opening, including its placement and decorative woven border.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links coordinated elements; Translation: and; Notes: continues the description of the garment’s construction.
  2. capitium — Lemma: capitium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, second declension; Function: direct object; Translation: opening; Notes: refers to the neck-opening of the tunic.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing ablative; Function: introduces location; Translation: in; Notes: spatial marker.
  4. superiori — Lemma: superior; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine, comparative; Function: modifies parte; Translation: upper; Notes: denotes vertical placement on the tunic.
  5. parte — Lemma: pars; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine, third declension; Function: object of in; Translation: part; Notes: describes where the opening lay.
  6. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: expresses alignment/opposition; Translation: opposite; Notes: indicates symmetry with the center of the garment.
  7. medium — Lemma: medium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of contra; Translation: middle; Notes: refers to central axis of the garment.
  8. oramque — Lemma: ora; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine + enclitic -que; Function: coordinated direct object; Translation: and the border; Notes: the enclitic tightly binds this noun to capitium.
  9. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governing accusative; Function: introduces extent; Translation: around; Notes: here means “throughout the circumference.”
  10. gyrum — Lemma: gyrus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: circumference; Notes: describes a circular border.
  11. capitii — Lemma: capitium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: dependent genitive modifying gyrum; Translation: of the opening; Notes: specifies the circular border belonging to the garment’s neck-opening.
  12. textilem — Lemma: textilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies oram; Translation: woven; Notes: indicates that the border was made of textile work, woven rather than embroidered.

 

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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