Exodus 19:24

Posted on March 10, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 19:24 Cui ait Dominus: Vade, descende: ascendesque tu, et Aaron tecum: sacerdotes autem et populus ne transeant terminos, nec ascendant ad Dominum, ne forte interficiat illos.

And the LORD said to him: “Go, descend; and you shall ascend, and Aaron with you. But the priests and the people must not cross the boundaries nor ascend to the LORD, lest He perhaps strike them down.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cui to whom PRON.DAT.SG.M/F
2 ait said 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 Dominus LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
4 Vade go 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
5 descende descend 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP.MOOD
6 ascendesque and you shall ascend 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND + ENCLITIC
7 tu you PRON.NOM.SG
8 et and CONJ
9 Aaron Aaron NOUN.NOM.SG.M
10 tecum with you PRON.ABL.SG + ENCLITIC
11 sacerdotes priests NOUN.NOM.PL.M
12 autem however ADV
13 et and CONJ
14 populus the people NOUN.NOM.SG.M
15 ne lest CONJ
16 transeant cross 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
17 terminos boundaries NOUN.ACC.PL.M
18 nec nor CONJ
19 ascendant ascend 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
20 ad to PREP+ACC
21 Dominum LORD NOUN.ACC.SG.M
22 ne lest CONJ
23 forte perhaps ADV
24 interficiat strike down 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
25 illos them PRON.ACC.PL.M

Syntax

Main Clause:
Cui ait Dominus — “To whom the LORD said”; indirect object Cui.

Commands:
Vade, descende — two direct imperatives addressed to Moses.

Future Clause:
ascendesque tu, et Aaron tecum — future ascent of Moses and Aaron.

Prohibitions (Negative Purpose):
sacerdotes … ne transeant terminos — priests must not cross boundaries.
nec ascendant ad Dominum — nor ascend to the LORD.

Final Warning Clause:
ne forte interficiat illos — divine punishment threatened.

Morphology

  1. Cui — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: indirect object (“to whom”); Translation: to whom; Notes: refers to Moses.
  2. ait — Lemma: aio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of speaking; Translation: said; Notes: standard speech verb.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  4. Vade — Lemma: vado; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative present active 2nd singular; Function: command; Translation: go; Notes: initiates divine instruction.
  5. descende — Lemma: descendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: imperative present active 2nd singular; Function: command; Translation: descend; Notes: downward movement from mountain.
  6. ascendesque — Lemma: ascendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative 2nd singular + enclitic -que; Function: coordinated future action; Translation: and you shall ascend; Notes: forward-looking instruction.
  7. tu — Lemma: tu; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular; Function: emphasized subject; Translation: you; Notes: distinguishes Moses from others.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: links subjects.
  9. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: coordinated subject; Translation: Aaron; Notes: joins Moses in ascent.
  10. tecum — Lemma: tu + cum; Part of Speech: pronoun compound; Form: ablative singular + enclitic; Function: accompaniment; Translation: with you; Notes: emphasizes joint ascent.
  11. sacerdotes — Lemma: sacerdos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of prohibition; Translation: priests; Notes: leaders among the people.
  12. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: contrasts; Translation: however; Notes: sets priests apart.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links priests and people; Translation: and; Notes: joins coordination.
  14. populus — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of prohibition; Translation: the people; Notes: collective noun.
  15. ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: negative purpose; Translation: lest; Notes: triggers subjunctive.
  16. transeant — Lemma: transeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 3rd plural; Function: prohibited action; Translation: cross; Notes: crossing forbidden boundary.
  17. terminos — Lemma: terminus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of transeant; Translation: boundaries; Notes: physical and sacred limits.
  18. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects prohibitions; Translation: nor; Notes: adds second negative clause.
  19. ascendant — Lemma: ascendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 3rd plural; Function: further prohibition; Translation: ascend; Notes: parallels transeant.
  20. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: + accusative; Function: direction; Translation: to; Notes: movement toward LORD.
  21. Dominum — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  22. ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces danger clause; Translation: lest; Notes: warns of consequence.
  23. forte — Lemma: forte; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: attenuates danger; Translation: perhaps; Notes: expresses possibility.
  24. interficiat — Lemma: interficio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active subjunctive 3rd singular; Function: divine punishment in purpose clause; Translation: strike down; Notes: protective warning.
  25. illos — Lemma: ille; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of interficiat; Translation: them; Notes: priests and people together.

 

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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