Exodus 23:32

Posted on March 14, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 23:32 Non inibis cum eis fœdus, nec cum diis eorum.

You shall not enter into a covenant with them, nor with their gods.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Non not ADV
2 inibis you will enter into 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
3 cum with PREP+ABL
4 eis them ABL.PL.M PRON PERS
5 fœdus covenant ACC.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
6 nec nor CONJ
7 cum with PREP+ABL
8 diis gods ABL.PL.M NOUN 2ND DECL
9 eorum of them GEN.PL.M PRON PERS

Syntax

Main Prohibition:
Non inibis cum eis fœdus — “You shall not enter into a covenant with them.”
• inibis = main verb (future indicative functioning as command).
• fœdus = direct object.
• cum eis = ablative of association.

Second Prohibition (coordinated):
nec cum diis eorum — “nor with their gods.”
• Implied verb from first clause: *inibis*.
• diis eorum = object of association (ablative).
• nec introduces a negative parallel.

Morphology

  1. Non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: negation; Translation: not; Notes: used to form prohibitions with future indicative.
  2. inibis — Lemma: ineo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative, second person singular; Function: main verb; Translation: you will enter into; Notes: future indicative used imperatively for legal commands.
  3. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces association; Translation: with; Notes: standard for relational prohibitions.
  4. eis — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: ablative plural masculine; Function: object of the preposition; Translation: them; Notes: refers to the nations.
  5. fœdus — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, third declension; Function: direct object; Translation: covenant; Notes: explicit legal agreement.
  6. nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces a coordinated negative element; Translation: nor; Notes: carries the negation from the first clause.
  7. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: association; Translation: with; Notes: parallel to the first cum-phrase.
  8. diis — Lemma: deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine, second declension; Function: object of cum; Translation: gods; Notes: refers to the idols of the nations.
  9. eorum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: personal pronoun (genitive); Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of them; Notes: modifies diis.

 

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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