Exodus 17:14

Posted on March 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 17:14 Dixit autem Dominus ad Moysen: Scribe hoc ob monimentum in libro, et trade auribus Iosue: delebo enim memoriam Amalec sub cælo.

But the LORD said to Moyses: “Write this for a memorial in a book, and deliver it to the ears of Josue; for I will blot out the memory of Amalec from under heaven.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 autem but CONJ
3 Dominus LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses NOUN.ACC.SG.M
6 Scribe write 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
7 hoc this PRON.DEM.ACC.SG.N
8 ob for PREP+ACC
9 monimentum memorial NOUN.ACC.SG.N
10 in in PREP+ABL
11 libro book NOUN.ABL.SG.M
12 et and CONJ
13 trade deliver 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
14 auribus to the ears NOUN.DAT.PL.F
15 Iosue Joshua NOUN.DAT.SG.M
16 delebo I will blot out 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND
17 enim for CONJ
18 memoriam memory NOUN.ACC.SG.F
19 Amalec Amalek NOUN.INDECL
20 sub under PREP+ABL
21 cælo heaven NOUN.ABL.SG.N

Syntax

Main Clause: Dixit autem Dominus ad Moysen — subject + perfect verb + prepositional indirect object.
Imperative Sequence: Scribe hoc ob monimentum in libro — commands regarding inscription.
Additional Imperative: et trade auribus Iosue — directive to convey the message to Joshua.
Causal Clause: delebo enim memoriam Amalec sub cælo — future divine action with enim explaining purpose.

Morphology

  1. Dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: said; Notes: introduces divine speech.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: mild connective; Translation: but; Notes: continues narrative.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: marks indirect object; Translation: to; Notes: introduces address.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Moses; Notes: recipient of command.
  6. Scribe — Lemma: scribo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative 2nd singular; Function: command; Translation: write; Notes: instruction to record.
  7. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of Scribe; Translation: this; Notes: refers to the divine decree.
  8. ob — Lemma: ob; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses purpose; Translation: for; Notes: introduces reason for writing.
  9. monimentum — Lemma: monimentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of ob; Translation: memorial; Notes: act of remembrance.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative sense; Translation: in; Notes: introduces location of inscription.
  11. libro — Lemma: liber; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: book; Notes: written record.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins imperatives; Translation: and; Notes: sequential command.
  13. trade — Lemma: trado; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative 2nd singular; Function: command; Translation: deliver; Notes: instructs communication.
  14. auribus — Lemma: auris; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural feminine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the ears; Notes: idiom for “tell.”
  15. Iosue — Lemma: Iosue; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: recipient; Translation: Joshua; Notes: successor of Moses.
  16. delebo — Lemma: deleo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative 1st singular; Function: divine promise; Translation: I will blot out; Notes: expresses future judgment.
  17. enim — Lemma: enim; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: explains reason; Translation: for; Notes: causal marker.
  18. memoriam — Lemma: memoria; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of delebo; Translation: memory; Notes: refers to Amalek’s remembrance.
  19. Amalec — Lemma: Amalec; Part of Speech: noun; Form: indeclinable; Function: object of memory phrase; Translation: Amalek; Notes: enemy group.
  20. sub — Lemma: sub; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: spatial relation; Translation: under; Notes: locative idiom.
  21. cælo — Lemma: cælum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of sub; Translation: heaven; Notes: idiom “under heaven.”

 

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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