Exodus 26:4

Posted on March 17, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 26:4 Ansulas hyacinthinas in lateribus ac summitatibus facies cortinarum, ut possint invicem copulari.

You shall make hyacinth-blue loops on the sides and on the tops of the curtains, so that they may be able to be joined to one another.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ansulas loops ACC.PL.F, NOUN, 1ST DECL
2 hyacinthinas hyacinth-blue ACC.PL.F, ADJ, 1ST DECL
3 in on PREP+ABL
4 lateribus sides ABL.PL.N, NOUN, 3RD DECL
5 ac and CONJ, INDECL
6 summitatibus tops ABL.PL.F, NOUN, 3RD DECL
7 facies you shall make 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND, 3RD CONJ
8 cortinarum of the curtains GEN.PL.F, NOUN, 1ST DECL
9 ut so that CONJ, INDECL
10 possint may be able 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ, IRREG
11 invicem one another ADV, INDECL
12 copulari to be joined INF.PRES.PASS, 1ST CONJ

Syntax

Main clause:
Subject (implied): “you”
Verb: facies
Object: Ansulas hyacinthinas
Prepositional phrases: in lateribus, ac summitatibus — locations of the loops
Genitive phrase: cortinarum — specifies which curtains

Purpose clause: introduced by ut
Verb: possint (subjunctive)
Complement infinitive: copulari
Adverb: invicem — expresses mutual action (“with one another”)

Morphology

  1. Ansulas — Lemma: ansula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: loops; Notes: refers to fastening loops on curtains.
  2. hyacinthinas — Lemma: hyacinthinus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies Ansulas; Translation: hyacinth-blue; Notes: denotes the blue dye used.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative expression; Translation: on; Notes: introduces location phrases.
  4. lateribus — Lemma: latus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: sides; Notes: part of curtain geometry.
  5. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links coordinate ablatives; Translation: and; Notes: slightly stronger than et.
  6. summitatibus — Lemma: summitās; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: second coordinated location; Translation: tops; Notes: refers to upper edges of curtains.
  7. facies — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall make; Notes: instructional future common in Exodus.
  8. cortinarum — Lemma: cortina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: possessive genitive; Translation: of the curtains; Notes: indicates which curtains receive loops.
  9. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  10. possint — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: may be able; Notes: expresses purpose for making loops.
  11. invicem — Lemma: invicem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: expresses reciprocity; Translation: one another; Notes: often used in mutual actions.
  12. copulari — Lemma: copulo; Part of Speech: verb (infinitive); Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complement of possint; Translation: to be joined; Notes: passive infinitive fits with reciprocal action.

 

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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