Exodus 25:4

Posted on March 16, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 25:4 hyacinthum et purpuram, coccumque bis tinctum, et byssum, pilos caprarum,

hyacinth, and purple, and twice-dyed scarlet, and fine linen, and goat hair,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 hyacinthum hyacinth ACC.SG.N.NOUN.2ND DECL
2 et and CONJ
3 purpuram purple ACC.SG.F.NOUN.1ST DECL
4 coccumque and scarlet ACC.SG.N.NOUN.2ND DECL
5 bis twice ADV
6 tinctum dyed ACC.SG.N.PPP
7 et and CONJ
8 byssum fine linen ACC.SG.F.NOUN.1ST DECL
9 pilos hair ACC.PL.M.NOUN.2ND DECL
10 caprarum of goats GEN.PL.F.NOUN.1ST DECL

Syntax

List structure: hyacinthum … purpuram … coccumque … byssum … pilos caprarum forms a coordinated series of materials to be received.
Enclitic conjunction: coccumque joins scarlet to the preceding items.
Participial modifier: tinctum with bis describes the scarlet as “twice-dyed.”
Genitive construction: pilos caprarum expresses “goat hair” through a genitive of possession.

Morphology

  1. hyacinthum — Lemma: hyacinthus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: item in the offering list; Translation: hyacinth; Notes: a blue-violet dye material.
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: links items.
  3. purpuram — Lemma: purpura; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: item in the list; Translation: purple; Notes: expensive dye.
  4. coccumque — Lemma: coccum; Part of Speech: noun + enclitic; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: coordinated object; Translation: and scarlet; Notes: enclitic -que means “and.”
  5. bis — Lemma: bis; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies *tinctum*; Translation: twice; Notes: intensifies dyeing.
  6. tinctum — Lemma: tingo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: accusative singular neuter perfect passive participle; Function: describes coccum; Translation: dyed; Notes: describes processing.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordination; Translation: and; Notes: joins next item.
  8. byssum — Lemma: byssus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: item in the list; Translation: fine linen; Notes: luxury textile.
  9. pilos — Lemma: pilus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object in list; Translation: hair; Notes: used for fabrics.
  10. caprarum — Lemma: capra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of goats; Notes: specifies material source.

 

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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