Exodus 40:5

Posted on March 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 40:5 et altare aureum in quo adoletur incensum, coram arca testimonii. Tentorium in introitu tabernaculi pones,

and the golden altar, on which incense is burned, you shall place before the ark of the testimony. The curtain at the entrance of the tabernacle you shall set,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 altare altar ACC.SG.N.3RD.DECL
3 aureum golden ACC.SG.N.POS
4 in in which PREP+ABL
5 quo which ABL.SG.N.REL
6 adoletur is burned 3SG.PRES.PASS.SUBJ
7 incensum incense NOM.SG.N.2ND.DECL
8 coram before PREP+ABL
9 arca ark ABL.SG.F.1ST.DECL
10 testimonii of the testimony GEN.SG.N.2ND.DECL
11 Tentorium curtain ACC.SG.N.2ND.DECL
12 in at PREP+ABL
13 introitu entrance ABL.SG.M.4TH.DECL
14 tabernaculi of the tabernacle GEN.SG.N.2ND.DECL
15 pones you shall place 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause 1 (Object Fronted):
altare aureum (Direct Object) + [understood pones from context]
Relative Clause: in quo adoletur incensum — describes the function of the altar
Prepositional Phrase: coram arca testimonii — specifies the placement relative to the ark

Main Clause 2: Tentorium … pones — direct object fronted for emphasis
Phrase: in introitu tabernaculi — locative expression (“at the entrance of the tabernacle”)

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links instructions; Translation: and; Notes: establishes procedural flow.
  2. altare — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter 3rd declension; Function: direct object (understood verb pones); Translation: altar; Notes: refers to the golden incense altar.
  3. aureum — Lemma: aureus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies altare; Translation: golden; Notes: specifies material composition.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces location within a relative clause; Translation: in; Notes: used spatially.
  5. quo — Lemma: qui, quæ, quod; Part of Speech: pronoun (relative); Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: which; Notes: refers to the altar.
  6. adoletur — Lemma: adoleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present passive subjunctive; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: is burned; Notes: subjunctive of characteristic describing altar function.
  7. incensum — Lemma: incensum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: subject of passive verb; Translation: incense; Notes: regularly used in cultic contexts.
  8. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates spatial relation; Translation: before; Notes: expresses orientation.
  9. arca — Lemma: arca; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine 1st declension; Function: object of coram; Translation: ark; Notes: refers to Ark of the Covenant.
  10. testimonii — Lemma: testimonium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: genitive modifier; Translation: of the testimony; Notes: identifies the ark’s sacred function.
  11. Tentorium — Lemma: tentorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: direct object of pones; Translation: curtain; Notes: the entrance curtain of the sanctuary.
  12. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative; Translation: at; Notes: expresses stationary position.
  13. introitu — Lemma: introitus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine 4th declension; Function: object of in; Translation: entrance; Notes: technical term for doorway area.
  14. tabernaculi — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: complements introitu; Translation: of the tabernacle; Notes: specifies the entrance in question.
  15. pones — Lemma: pono; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall place; Notes: continues instructions for arranging the sanctuary.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Exodus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.