Exodus 18:14

Posted on March 9, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 18:14 Quod cum vidisset cognatus eius, omnia scilicet quæ agebat in populo, ait: Quid est hoc quod facis in plebe? cur solus sedes, et omnis populus præstolatur de mane usque ad vesperam?

When his kinsman saw this, namely all that he was doing among the people, he said: “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people wait from morning until evening?”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Quod when PRON.REL.ACC.SG.N
2 cum when CONJ
3 vidisset had seen 3SG.PLUP.ACT.SUBJ
4 cognatus kinsman NOUN.NOM.SG.M
5 eius his PRON.POSS.GEN.SG.M
6 omnia all things PRON.INDEF.ACC.PL.N
7 scilicet namely ADV
8 quæ which PRON.REL.ACC.PL.N
9 agebat was doing 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
10 in in PREP+ABL
11 populo the people NOUN.ABL.SG.M
12 ait said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
13 Quid what PRON.INTR.ACC.SG.N
14 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
15 hoc this PRON.DEM.NOM.SG.N
16 quod that / which PRON.REL.ACC.SG.N
17 facis you do 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
18 in in PREP+ABL
19 plebe the people NOUN.ABL.SG.F
20 cur why ADV
21 solus alone ADJ.NOM.SG.M
22 sedes you sit 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
23 et and CONJ
24 omnis all ADJ.NOM.SG.M
25 populus people NOUN.NOM.SG.M
26 præstolatur waits 3SG.PRES.DEP.IND
27 de from PREP+ABL
28 mane morning NOUN.ABL.SG.N
29 usque until PREP+ACC
30 ad to PREP+ACC
31 vesperam evening NOUN.ACC.SG.F

Syntax

Temporal-Causal Frame:
Quod cum vidisset cognatus eius — cum + pluperfect subjunctive: temporal circumstance “when his kinsman had seen it.”

Object Explained:
omnia scilicet quæ agebat in populo — “namely all that he was doing among the people.”

Main Speech Verb:
ait — introduces direct questions.

Direct Question 1:
Quid est hoc quod facis in plebe? — interrogative pronoun + copula + relative clause describing “hoc.”

Direct Question 2:
cur solus sedes — “why do you sit alone?”

Clause of Extent:
et omnis populus præstolatur de mane usque ad vesperam — deponent verb + temporal expression of duration.

Morphology

  1. Quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of vidisset; Translation: when / which; Notes: neuter of fact.
  2. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces circumstantial clause; Translation: when; Notes: cum + subjunctive.
  3. vidisset — Lemma: video; Part of Speech: verb; Form: pluperfect active subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: verb of cum-clause; Translation: had seen; Notes: subjunctive required by cum.
  4. cognatus — Lemma: cognatus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of vidisset; Translation: kinsman; Notes: refers to Jethro.
  5. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: genitive singular; Function: modifies cognatus; Translation: his; Notes: refers to Moses.
  6. omnia — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of vidisset; Translation: all things; Notes: totality.
  7. scilicet — Lemma: scilicet; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: clarifies meaning; Translation: namely; Notes: explanatory.
  8. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: which; Notes: refers to omnia.
  9. agebat — Lemma: ago; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: was doing; Notes: continuous past action.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: in; Notes: spatial.
  11. populo — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: the people; Notes: community context.
  12. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: perfect active indicative 3rd singular; Function: introduces direct speech; Translation: said; Notes: frequent narrative verb.
  13. Quid — Lemma: quis/quid; Part of Speech: interrogative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: interrogative object; Translation: what; Notes: requests explanation.
  14. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: copula; Translation: is; Notes: present tense.
  15. hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: subject complement; Translation: this; Notes: points at observed action.
  16. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of facis; Translation: which / that; Notes: clause modifier.
  17. facis — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 2nd singular; Function: main verb of relative clause; Translation: you do; Notes: present tense.
  18. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates sphere; Translation: in; Notes: social setting.
  19. plebe — Lemma: plebs; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: the people; Notes: collective populace.
  20. cur — Lemma: cur; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces question; Translation: why; Notes: seeks justification.
  21. solus — Lemma: solus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: predicate adjective; Translation: alone; Notes: emphasizes isolation.
  22. sedes — Lemma: sedeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 2nd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: you sit; Notes: describes posture of authority.
  23. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: coordination.
  24. omnis — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: modifies populus; Translation: all; Notes: collective totality.
  25. populus — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: people; Notes: gathered nation.
  26. præstolatur — Lemma: præstolor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: present deponent indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb; Translation: waits; Notes: deponent with active meaning.
  27. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: marks beginning of time; Translation: from; Notes: temporal usage.
  28. mane — Lemma: mane; Part of Speech: noun (indeclinable); Form: ablative singular; Function: object of de; Translation: morning; Notes: start of time span.
  29. usque — Lemma: usque; Part of Speech: preposition/adverb; Form: governs ad + acc; Function: expresses extent; Translation: until; Notes: marks duration.
  30. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: complements usque; Translation: to; Notes: completes temporal limit.
  31. vesperam — Lemma: vespera; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of ad; Translation: evening; Notes: end of time span.

 

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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