Exodus 17:2

Posted on March 8, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 17:2 Qui iurgatus contra Moysen, ait: Da nobis aquam, ut bibamus. Quibus respondit Moyses: Quid iurgamini contra me? cur tentatis Dominum?

He who quarreled against Moses said: Give us water so that we may drink. To whom Moses responded: Why do you quarrel against me? why do you test the LORD?

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Qui who PRON.REL.NOM.SG.M
2 iurgatus having quarreled PTCP.PERF.PASS.NOM.SG.M
3 contra against PREP+ACC
4 Moysen Moses NOUN.ACC.SG.M
5 ait said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
6 Da give 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
7 nobis to us PRON.PERS.DAT.PL
8 aquam water NOUN.ACC.SG.F
9 ut so that CONJ
10 bibamus we may drink 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
11 Quibus to whom PRON.REL.DAT.PL.M
12 respondit responded 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
13 Moyses Moses NOUN.NOM.SG.M
14 Quid why ADV.INTERJ
15 iurgamini you quarrel 2PL.PRES.DEP.IND
16 contra against PREP+ACC
17 me me PRON.PERS.ACC.SG
18 cur why ADV.INTERJ
19 tentatis you test 2PL.PRES.ACT.IND
20 Dominum the LORD NOUN.ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Relative Opening: Qui introduces the subject of the first clause.
Participial Modifier: iurgatus modifies the relative pronoun, describing the one who quarreled.
Prepositional Phrase: contra Moysen — object of hostility.
Main Verb: ait — introduces direct speech.
Imperative Construction: Da nobis aquam — command with dative of advantage.
Purpose Clause: ut bibamus — expresses intended result.
Relative Dative: Quibus — indirect object referencing speakers.
Reply Verb: respondit Moyses — main verb in second clause.
Interrogative Clause 1: Quid iurgamini contra me? — deponent verb with direct object phrase.
Interrogative Clause 2: cur tentatis Dominum? — moral accusation about testing YHWH.

Morphology

  1. Qui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of iurgatus; Translation: who; Notes: agrees with implied masculine antecedent.
  2. iurgatus — Lemma: iurgo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle nominative singular masculine; Function: describes the subject; Translation: having quarreled; Notes: passive form with active nuance.
  3. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses opposition; Translation: against; Notes: standard adversative preposition.
  4. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of contra; Translation: Moses; Notes: third-declension Hebrew loanword.
  5. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: introduces speech; Translation: said; Notes: defective verb used primarily in narration.
  6. Da — Lemma: do; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active imperative 2nd singular; Function: command; Translation: give; Notes: direct imperative request.
  7. nobis — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: to us; Notes: dative of advantage.
  8. aquam — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: water; Notes: basic direct object of Da.
  9. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive mood.
  10. bibamus — Lemma: bibo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 1st plural; Function: purpose; Translation: we may drink; Notes: subjunctive of intention.
  11. Quibus — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: dative plural masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to whom; Notes: relative referencing speakers of complaint.
  12. respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: responded; Notes: perfect indicates completed reply.
  13. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of respondit; Translation: Moses; Notes: proper name.
  14. Quid — Lemma: quid; Part of Speech: interrogative adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces question; Translation: why; Notes: expresses rebuke.
  15. iurgamini — Lemma: iurgo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present deponent indicative 2nd plural; Function: verb of interrogation; Translation: you quarrel; Notes: deponent with active meaning.
  16. contra — Lemma: contra; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses opposition; Translation: against; Notes: repeated for emphasis.
  17. me — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: accusative singular; Function: object of contra; Translation: me; Notes: first-person object.
  18. cur — Lemma: cur; Part of Speech: interrogative adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces second question; Translation: why; Notes: indicates moral inquiry.
  19. tentatis — Lemma: tento; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 2nd plural; Function: verb of question; Translation: you test; Notes: expresses provocative testing.
  20. Dominum — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of tentatis; Translation: the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.

 

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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