Exodus 39:38

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:38 et tentorium in introitu tabernaculi:

and the curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 tentorium curtain NOUN.ACC.SG.N
3 in at / in PREP+ABL
4 introitu entrance NOUN.ABL.SG.M
5 tabernaculi of the tabernacle NOUN.GEN.SG.N

Syntax

The conjunction et adds yet another object in the ongoing list of sacred components presented to Moses.
The accusative tentorium (“the curtain”) is the direct object, coordinated with items preceding and following it.

The prepositional phrase in introitu tabernaculi (“at the entrance of the tabernacle”) specifies its location and identity — this is the entrance curtain that forms the outer boundary of the sanctuary.

The structure is simple and additive, continuing the Vulgate’s cumulative inventory style.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins this accusative item to the list; Translation: and; Notes: continues sequential enumeration.
  2. tentorium — Lemma: tentorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, second declension; Function: direct object; Translation: curtain; Notes: refers specifically to the entrance screen described in Exodus 26:36.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates spatial position; Translation: at; Notes: here meaning “at / on the site of.”
  4. introitu — Lemma: introitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, fourth declension; Function: object of in; Translation: entrance; Notes: a technical term for a doorway or entry point.
  5. tabernaculi — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: genitive of location/possession; Translation: of the tabernacle; Notes: specifies which entrance is meant.

 

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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