Exodus 15:13

Posted on March 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 15:13 Dux fuisti in misericordia tua populo quem redemisti: et portasti eum in fortitudine tua, ad habitaculum sanctum tuum.

You were a leader in Your mercy to the people whom You redeemed, and You carried them in Your strength to Your holy dwelling.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dux leader NOUN.NOM.SG.M
2 fuisti you were 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
3 in in PREP+ABL
4 misericordia mercy NOUN.ABL.SG.F
5 tua your ADJ.ABL.SG.F
6 populo to the people NOUN.DAT.SG.M
7 quem whom REL.PRON.ACC.SG.M
8 redemisti you redeemed 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
9 et and CONJ
10 portasti you carried 2SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 eum him / them PRON.ACC.SG.M
12 in in PREP+ABL
13 fortitudine strength NOUN.ABL.SG.F
14 tua your ADJ.ABL.SG.F
15 ad to PREP+ACC
16 habitaculum dwelling NOUN.ACC.SG.N
17 sanctum holy ADJ.ACC.SG.N
18 tuum your ADJ.ACC.SG.N

Syntax

Main clause 1: Dux fuisti in misericordia tua populo — nominative subject + perfect verb + ablative of manner + dative of advantage.
Relative clause: quem redemisti — relative pronoun (object) + perfect verb.
Main clause 2: et portasti eum — coordinated perfect verb + direct object.
Prepositional phrase: in fortitudine tua — ablative of means/instrument.
Goal phrase: ad habitaculum sanctum tuum — preposition + accusative expressing destination.

Morphology

  1. Dux — Lemma: dux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: “leader”; Notes: metaphor for divine guidance.
  2. fuisti — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative second singular; Function: main verb; Translation: “you were”; Notes: expresses completed past role.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces ablative of manner; Translation: “in”; Notes: expresses mode of leadership.
  4. misericordia — Lemma: misericordia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of manner; Translation: “mercy”; Notes: divine compassion.
  5. tua — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies misericordia; Translation: “your”; Notes: refers to the LORD.
  6. populo — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: “to the people”; Notes: the people of Yisraʾel.
  7. quem — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of redemisti; Translation: “whom”; Notes: connects descriptive clause to antecedent.
  8. redemisti — Lemma: redimo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative second singular; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: “you redeemed”; Notes: expresses salvific act.
  9. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinating conjunction; Translation: “and”; Notes: links two divine actions.
  10. portasti — Lemma: porto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative second singular; Function: main verb of second clause; Translation: “you carried”; Notes: expresses protective action.
  11. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “him / them”; Notes: refers collectively to the people.
  12. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces ablative of means; Translation: “in”; Notes: expresses instrument.
  13. fortitudine — Lemma: fortitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of means; Translation: “strength”; Notes: divine power as carrying force.
  14. tua — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies fortitudine; Translation: “your”; Notes: emphasizes divine agency.
  15. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses destination; Translation: “to”; Notes: marks goal of deliverance.
  16. habitaculum — Lemma: habitaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of ad; Translation: “dwelling”; Notes: refers to the sanctuary.
  17. sanctum — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies habitaculum; Translation: “holy”; Notes: emphasizes sacredness.
  18. tuum — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies habitaculum; Translation: “your”; Notes: final destination determined by the LORD.

 

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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