Exodus 15:11

Posted on March 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 15:11 Quis similis tui in fortibus Domine? quis similis tui, magnificus in sanctitate, terribilis atque laudabilis, faciens mirabilia?

Who is like You among the mighty, O LORD? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful and praiseworthy, working wonders?

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quis who INTERROG.PRON.NOM.SG.M
2 similis like ADJ.NOM.SG.M
3 tui to you PRON.GEN.SG.M
4 in among PREP+ABL
5 fortibus the mighty ADJ.ABL.PL.M
6 Domine O LORD NOUN.VOC.SG.M
7 quis who INTERROG.PRON.NOM.SG.M
8 similis like ADJ.NOM.SG.M
9 tui to you PRON.GEN.SG.M
10 magnificus glorious ADJ.NOM.SG.M
11 in in PREP+ABL
12 sanctitate holiness NOUN.ABL.SG.F
13 terribilis fearful ADJ.NOM.SG.M
14 atque and CONJ
15 laudabilis praiseworthy ADJ.NOM.SG.M
16 faciens doing PRES.ACT.PTCP.NOM.SG.M
17 mirabilia wonders NOUN.ACC.PL.N

Syntax

Interrogative clause 1: Quis similis tui in fortibus Domine — interrogative pronoun + predicate adjective + genitive of comparison + ablative of group + vocative.
Interrogative clause 2: quis similis tui — repetition for emphasis.
Descriptive phrases: magnificus in sanctitate, terribilis atque laudabilis — predicate adjectives describing divine attributes.
Participial phrase: faciens mirabilia — present participle + direct object.

Morphology

  1. Quis — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: interrogative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: interrogative subject; Translation: “who”; Notes: rhetorical question.
  2. similis — Lemma: similis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “like”; Notes: takes genitive comparison.
  3. tui — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of comparison; Translation: “to you”; Notes: expresses standard of comparison.
  4. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates group; Translation: “among”; Notes: used with group membership.
  5. fortibus — Lemma: fortis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: “the mighty”; Notes: refers to divine beings or powers.
  6. Domine — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: vocative singular masculine; Function: direct address; Translation: “O LORD”; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  7. quis — Lemma: quis; Part of Speech: interrogative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: repeated subject; Translation: “who”; Notes: emphatic repetition.
  8. similis — Lemma: similis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: “like”; Notes: same construction as earlier.
  9. tui — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: genitive of comparison; Translation: “to you”; Notes: indicates unmatched nature of LORD.
  10. magnificus — Lemma: magnificus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate descriptor; Translation: “glorious”; Notes: divine attribute.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: ablative of respect; Translation: “in”; Notes: specifies sphere of glory.
  12. sanctitate — Lemma: sanctitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “holiness”; Notes: denotes sacred character.
  13. terribilis — Lemma: terribilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate descriptor; Translation: “fearful”; Notes: evokes divine awe.
  14. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: combines descriptors; Translation: “and”; Notes: stronger than et.
  15. laudabilis — Lemma: laudabilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate descriptor; Translation: “praiseworthy”; Notes: divine worthiness.
  16. faciens — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle nominative singular masculine; Function: verbal adjective modifying implied subject; Translation: “doing”; Notes: ongoing divine action.
  17. mirabilia — Lemma: miraculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: “wonders”; Notes: miraculous deeds.

 

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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