Exodus 28:10

Posted on March 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 28:10 sex nomina in lapide uno, et sex reliqua in altero, iuxta ordinem nativitatis eorum.

six names on one stone, and the six remaining on the other, according to the order of their birth.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sex six INDECL.NUM
2 nomina names ACC.PL.N, 3RD DECL, NOUN
3 in on PREP+ABL
4 lapide stone ABL.SG.M, 3RD DECL, NOUN
5 uno one ABL.SG.M, ADJ.NUM
6 et and CONJ
7 sex six INDECL.NUM
8 reliqua remaining ACC.PL.N, ADJ.POS
9 in on PREP+ABL
10 altero the other ABL.SG.M, ADJ/PRON.DEM
11 iuxta according to PREP+ACC
12 ordinem order ACC.SG.M, 3RD DECL, NOUN
13 nativitatis of birth GEN.SG.F, 3RD DECL, NOUN
14 eorum of them GEN.PL.M, PRON.PERS

Syntax

Elliptical Structure:
The sentence consists of two parallel nominal constructions without a finite verb—typical in ritual instructions:

• sex nomina in lapide uno — “six names on one stone”
• et sex reliqua in altero — “and the six remaining on the other”

Both phrases function as parallel directives describing stone inscriptions.

Prepositional Phrase of Standard:
iuxta ordinem nativitatis eorum — “according to the order of their birth,” modifying both halves.

Morphology

  1. sex — Lemma: sex; Part of Speech: numeral (indeclinable); Form: invariable; Function: modifies nomina; Translation: six; Notes: numerals of this type do not decline.
  2. nomina — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter, 3rd declension; Function: direct object implied by the inscription instruction; Translation: names; Notes: refers to tribal names.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses location; Translation: on; Notes: here means “on” the stone’s surface.
  4. lapide — Lemma: lapis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: object of in; Translation: stone; Notes: one of the two onyx stones.
  5. uno — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies lapide; Translation: one; Notes: distinguishes the first stone.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates the two parallel halves; Translation: and; Notes: standard connector.
  7. sex — Lemma: sex; Part of Speech: numeral (indeclinable); Form: invariable; Function: modifies reliqua; Translation: six; Notes: parallels the first six.
  8. reliqua — Lemma: reliquus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural neuter, positive degree; Function: substantive adjective modifying implicit nomina; Translation: remaining; Notes: means “the remaining [names].”
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses location; Translation: on; Notes: same prepositional sense as earlier.
  10. altero — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies implicit lapide; Translation: the other; Notes: identifies the second stone.
  11. iuxta — Lemma: iuxta; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses accordance or standard; Translation: according to; Notes: marks conformity to a pattern.
  12. ordinem — Lemma: ordo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: object of iuxta; Translation: order; Notes: specifies arrangement.
  13. nativitatis — Lemma: nativitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine, 3rd declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying ordinem; Translation: of birth; Notes: refers to chronological birth order of Israel’s sons.
  14. eorum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possessive genitive modifying nativitatis; Translation: of them; Notes: refers to the sons of Israel named previously.

 

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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