Exodus 12:4

Posted on March 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 12:4 Sin autem minor est numerus ut sufficere possit ad vescendum agnum, assumet vicinum suum qui iunctus est domui suæ, iuxta numerum animarum quæ sufficere possunt ad esum agni.

But if the number is smaller so that it may be able to suffice for eating the lamb, he shall take his neighbor who is joined to his house, according to the number of persons who are able to suffice for the eating of the lamb.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sin but if CONJ
2 autem however ADV
3 minor smaller NOM.SG.M/F.COMP
4 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
5 numerus number NOM.SG.M
6 ut so that CONJ
7 sufficere to suffice INF.PRES.ACT
8 possit may be able 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
9 ad for PREP+ACC
10 vescendum for eating GERUND.ACC
11 agnum the lamb ACC.SG.M
12 assumet he shall take 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
13 vicinum neighbor ACC.SG.M
14 suum his ACC.SG.M.REFL
15 qui who NOM.SG.M.REL
16 iunctus joined NOM.SG.M.PPP
17 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
18 domui to the house DAT.SG.F
19 suæ his DAT.SG.F.REFL
20 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
21 numerum number ACC.SG.M
22 animarum of persons GEN.PL.F
23 quæ who NOM.PL.F.REL
24 sufficere to suffice INF.PRES.ACT
25 possunt are able 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
26 ad for PREP+ACC
27 esum eating ACC.SG.M
28 agni of the lamb GEN.SG.M

Syntax

Conditional Protasis: Sin autem minor est numerus — “But if the number is smaller,” with numerus as subject and est as copula.
Final Clause: ut sufficere possit ad vescendum agnum — “so that it may be able to suffice for eating the lamb,” expressing purpose or result with subjunctive possit.
Main Apodosis: assumet vicinum suum — “he shall take his neighbor,” introducing the corrective action.
Relative Clause: qui iunctus est domui suæ — modifies vicinum, describing proximity and association.
Measure Phrase: iuxta numerum animarum — “according to the number of persons,” giving the criterion for determining group size.
Relative Clause of Ability: quæ sufficere possunt ad esum agni — explains which persons qualify: those able to suffice for the eating of the lamb.

Morphology

  1. Sin — Lemma: sin; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces conditional protasis; Translation: “but if”; Notes: often strengthens contrast.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds contrastive nuance; Translation: “however”; Notes: postpositive.
  3. minor — Lemma: parvus; Part of Speech: adjective (comparative); Form: nominative singular masculine/feminine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “smaller”; Notes: comparative degree describing insufficiency.
  4. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present indicative third singular; Function: copula; Translation: “is”; Notes: links subject and predicate.
  5. numerus — Lemma: numerus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “number”; Notes: refers to household size.
  6. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces final clause; Translation: “so that”; Notes: standard final usage.
  7. sufficere — Lemma: sufficio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: “to suffice”; Notes: expresses capability.
  8. possit — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present subjunctive third singular; Function: verb in final clause; Translation: “may be able”; Notes: subjunctive required by ut.
  9. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses purpose; Translation: “for”; Notes: strengthens telic sense.
  10. vescendum — Lemma: vescor; Part of Speech: gerund; Form: accusative singular; Function: object of preposition ad; Translation: “eating”; Notes: derived from deponent verb.
  11. agnum — Lemma: agnus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of gerund phrase; Translation: “the lamb”; Notes: Passover lamb.
  12. assumet — Lemma: assumo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative third singular; Function: main verb of apodosis; Translation: “he shall take”; Notes: expresses binding instruction.
  13. vicinum — Lemma: vicinus; Part of Speech: noun/adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of assumet; Translation: “neighbor”; Notes: indicates shared lamb provision.
  14. suum — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: reflexive possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: modifies vicinum; Translation: “his”; Notes: refers reflexively to household head.
  15. qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: “who”; Notes: refers to vicinum.
  16. iunctus — Lemma: iungo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine perfect passive participle; Function: predicate adjective in relative clause; Translation: “joined”; Notes: indicates physical or social proximity.
  17. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present indicative third singular; Function: copular verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: completes participial description.
  18. domui — Lemma: domus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: dative of relation; Translation: “to the house”; Notes: specific household.
  19. suæ — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: reflexive possessive adjective; Form: dative singular feminine; Function: modifies domui; Translation: “his”; Notes: reflexive to subject of assumet.
  20. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses accordance; Translation: “according to”; Notes: governs measure phrase.
  21. numerum — Lemma: numerus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: “number”; Notes: quantity basis.
  22. animarum — Lemma: anima; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of persons”; Notes: idiom for living individuals.
  23. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of possunt; Translation: “who”; Notes: refers to animae implicitly.
  24. sufficere — Lemma: sufficio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: “to suffice”; Notes: expresses ability.
  25. possunt — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present indicative third plural; Function: verb in relative clause; Translation: “are able”; Notes: describes capability.
  26. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces purpose phrase; Translation: “for”; Notes: telic usage.
  27. esum — Lemma: esus; Part of Speech: noun (verbal); Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “eating”; Notes: verbal noun from edo.
  28. agni — Lemma: agnus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: dependent genitive; Translation: “of the lamb”; Notes: refers to the Passover lamb.

 

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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