Exodus 12:42

Posted on March 3, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 12:42 Nox ista est observabilis Domini, quando eduxit eos de Terra Ægypti: hanc observare debent omnes filii Israel in generationibus suis.

This is a night to be kept for the LORD, when He brought them out from the Land of Egypt; this one all the sons of Israel ought to keep in their generations.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nox night NOM.SG.F
2 ista this NOM.SG.F.DEM
3 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
4 observabilis to be kept NOM.SG.F.ADJ
5 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M
6 quando when CONJ
7 eduxit brought out 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 eos them ACC.PL.M.PRON
9 de from PREP+ABL
10 Terra Land ABL.SG.F
11 Ægypti Egypt GEN.SG.F
12 hanc this ACC.SG.F.DEM
13 observare to keep INF.PRES.ACT
14 debent they ought 3PL.PRES.ACT.IND
15 omnes all NOM.PL.M
16 filii sons NOM.PL.M
17 Israel Israel GEN.SG.M.INVAR
18 in in PREP+ABL
19 generationibus generations ABL.PL.F
20 suis their ABL.PL.F.REFL

Syntax

Main clause:
Nox ista est observabilis Domini — “This night is to be kept for the LORD.”
• Nox ista = subject
• est = linking verb
• observabilis = predicate adjective
• Domini = genitive of possession (“of the LORD”)

Temporal clause:
quando eduxit eos de Terra Ægypti — “when He brought them out from the land of Egypt”
• eduxit = main verb
• eos = object
• de Terra Ægypti = origin phrase

Main infinitive clause:
hanc observare debent omnes filii Israel in generationibus suis
• debent = main verb (“they ought”)
• observare = complementary infinitive
• hanc = object of the infinitive
• omnes filii Israel = subject
• in generationibus suis = temporal-scope phrase

Morphology

  1. Nox — Lemma: nox; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject; Translation: “night”; Notes: marks the Passover night.
  2. ista — Lemma: iste; Part of Speech: demonstrative adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: modifies nox; Translation: “this”; Notes: deictic emphasis.
  3. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third singular; Function: linking verb; Translation: “is”; Notes: simple present.
  4. observabilis — Lemma: observabilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “to be kept”; Notes: expresses obligation.
  5. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive; Translation: “of the LORD”; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  6. quando — Lemma: quando; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: “when”; Notes: temporal marker.
  7. eduxit — Lemma: educo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third singular; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: “brought out”; Notes: refers to the Exodus.
  8. eos — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object; Translation: “them”; Notes: Israel as the object of deliverance.
  9. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates origin; Translation: “from”; Notes: standard prepositional usage.
  10. Terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of de; Translation: “land”; Notes: the place from which they were delivered.
  11. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of place name; Translation: “of Egypt”; Notes: part of ablative expression.
  12. hanc — Lemma: hic, haec, hoc; Part of Speech: demonstrative adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of observare; Translation: “this”; Notes: refers to the night itself.
  13. observare — Lemma: observo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: “to keep”; Notes: expresses duty.
  14. debent — Lemma: debeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “they ought”; Notes: expresses obligation.
  15. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies filii; Translation: “all”; Notes: universal requirement.
  16. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “sons”; Notes: refers to Israelites.
  17. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular masculine (indeclinable); Function: modifies filii; Translation: “Israel”; Notes: traditional genitive.
  18. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates sphere; Translation: “in”; Notes: distributive use.
  19. generationibus — Lemma: generatio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “generations”; Notes: recurring observance.
  20. suis — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: reflexive adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies generationibus; Translation: “their”; Notes: refers back to Israel.

 

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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