Exodus 15:5

Posted on March 6, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 15:5 Abyssi operuerunt eos, descenderunt in profundum quasi lapis.

The depths covered them; they went down into the deep like a stone.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Abyssi the depths NOUN.NOM.PL.F
2 operuerunt covered 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
3 eos them PRON.ACC.PL.M
4 descenderunt they went down 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
5 in into PREP+ACC
6 profundum the deep NOUN.ACC.SG.N
7 quasi as if / like ADV
8 lapis a stone NOUN.NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Clause 1: Abyssi operuerunt eos — nominative subject + perfect verb + direct object.
Clause 2: descenderunt in profundum quasi lapis — perfect verb + prepositional phrase + comparative adverb + nominal comparison.

Morphology

  1. Abyssi — Lemma: abyssus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject; Translation: “the depths”; Notes: often conveys chaotic waters.
  2. operuerunt — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third plural; Function: main verb; Translation: “covered”; Notes: describes engulfing action.
  3. eos — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: “them”; Notes: refers to Egyptians.
  4. descenderunt — Lemma: descendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative third plural; Function: main verb of second clause; Translation: “they went down”; Notes: expresses submersion.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates motion toward; Translation: “into”; Notes: introduces destination.
  6. profundum — Lemma: profundum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: “the deep”; Notes: denotes watery abyss.
  7. quasi — Lemma: quasi; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: comparative marker; Translation: “like”; Notes: introduces simile.
  8. lapis — Lemma: lapis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: comparison noun; Translation: “stone”; Notes: emphasizes sudden sinking.

 

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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