Exodus 28:4

Posted on March 19, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 28:4 Hæc autem erunt vestimenta quæ faciet: Rationale, et superhumerale, tunicam et lineam strictam, cidarim et balteum. Facient vestimenta sancta fratri tuo Aaron et filiis eius, ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi.

And these shall be the garments which he shall make: the Breastpiece, and the Ephod, the tunic and the woven linen garment, the turban and the belt. They shall make holy garments for your brother Aaron and for his sons, so that they may perform the priesthood for Me.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæc these PRON.DEM.NOM.PL.N
2 autem however CONJ
3 erunt shall be 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND
4 vestimenta garments NOM.PL.N, 2ND DECL, NOUN
5 quæ which PRON.REL.NOM.PL.N
6 faciet he shall make 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND, 3RD CONJ
7 Rationale breastpiece ACC.SG.N, 3RD DECL, NOUN
8 et and CONJ
9 superhumerale ephod ACC.SG.N, 3RD DECL, NOUN
10 tunicam tunic ACC.SG.F, 1ST DECL, NOUN
11 et and CONJ
12 lineam linen garment ACC.SG.F, 1ST DECL, NOUN
13 strictam woven ACC.SG.F, ADJ, POS
14 cidarim turban ACC.SG.F, 3RD DECL, NOUN
15 et and CONJ
16 balteum belt ACC.SG.N, 2ND DECL, NOUN
17 Facient they shall make 3PL.FUT.ACT.IND, 3RD CONJ
18 vestimenta garments ACC.PL.N, 2ND DECL, NOUN
19 sancta holy ACC.PL.N, ADJ, POS
20 fratri to (the) brother DAT.SG.M, 3RD DECL, NOUN
21 tuo your DAT.SG.M, PRON.POSS
22 Aaron Aaron DAT.SG.M, NOUN.INDECL
23 et and CONJ
24 filiis to (his) sons DAT.PL.M, 2ND DECL, NOUN
25 eius his GEN.SG.M, PRON.POSS
26 ut so that CONJ
27 sacerdotio by the priesthood ABL.SG.N, 2ND DECL, NOUN
28 fungantur they may perform 3PL.PRES.DEP.SUBJ, 3RD CONJ
29 mihi for me DAT.SG, PRON.PERS

Syntax

First sentence:
Hæc is the demonstrative subject, pointing forward to the list of items.
erunt vestimenta forms a copular structure: verb “shall be” plus predicate nominative “garments.”
quæ faciet is a relative clause: quæ (referring back to vestimenta) is subject, and faciet is the future verb “he shall make.”

The direct objects of faciet are the list of garments:
Rationale, et superhumerale, tunicam et lineam strictam, cidarim et balteum — a coordinated series of accusative objects specifying all the components.

Second sentence:
Facient is the main verb in the future (“they shall make”).
Its direct object is vestimenta sancta (“holy garments”).

The indirect objects (datives of advantage) are:
fratri tuo Aaron — “for your brother Aaron” (dative noun with possessive pronoun and proper name in apposition).
et filiis eius — “and for his sons” (coordinated dative phrase with possessive genitive).

The purpose clause is introduced by ut:
ut sacerdotio fungantur mihi —
• fungantur (subjunctive, deponent) is the verb of purpose, “that they may perform.”
• sacerdotio (ablative) is the complement of the deponent verb fungantur, expressing the office “in the priesthood.”
• mihi is the dative of advantage, “for Me,” referring to YHWH, indicating that this priestly service is directed to Him.

Morphology

  1. Hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject of erunt; Translation: these; Notes: points forward to the list of garments as a single set.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connective particle; Translation: however / now; Notes: gives mild contrast or transition from the previous instructions.
  3. erunt — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb of the first clause; Translation: shall be; Notes: future indicative used in legal and ritual prescriptions.
  4. vestimenta — Lemma: vestimentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter, 2nd declension; Function: predicate nominative with erunt; Translation: garments; Notes: summarizes all individual items as one class of sacred clothing.
  5. quæ — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject of faciet, referring back to vestimenta; Translation: which; Notes: introduces a defining relative clause identifying the garments.
  6. faciet — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular future active indicative; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: he shall make; Notes: refers to the skilled craftsmen appointed in the preceding context.
  7. Rationale — Lemma: rationale; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, 3rd declension; Function: direct object of faciet; Translation: breastpiece; Notes: technical term for the high priest’s oracular breastpiece.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates items in the list; Translation: and; Notes: links Rationale and superhumerale.
  9. superhumerale — Lemma: superhumerale; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, 3rd declension; Function: direct object of faciet; Translation: ephod; Notes: another key element of the high priest’s vestments.
  10. tunicam — Lemma: tunica; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: direct object in the list; Translation: tunic; Notes: refers to the garment worn underneath.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates tunicam and lineam strictam; Translation: and; Notes: continues the series of items.
  12. lineam — Lemma: linea; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, 1st declension; Function: object in the list, closely linked with strictam; Translation: linen garment; Notes: emphasizes the linen material of the garment.
  13. strictam — Lemma: strictus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine, positive degree; Function: agrees with lineam, further describing it; Translation: woven / tightly woven; Notes: highlights the craftsmanship and tight weave of the linen.
  14. cidarim — Lemma: cidaris; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, 3rd declension; Function: direct object in the list; Translation: turban; Notes: priestly headdress of the high priest.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links cidarim and balteum; Translation: and; Notes: final coordinator in the first list.
  16. balteum — Lemma: balteum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, 2nd declension; Function: direct object; Translation: belt; Notes: ceremonial sash used to gird the vestments.
  17. Facient — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural future active indicative; Function: main verb of the second sentence; Translation: they shall make; Notes: subject is the skilled workers indirectly understood from the context.
  18. vestimenta — Lemma: vestimentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter, 2nd declension; Function: direct object of Facient; Translation: garments; Notes: refers to the entire set being produced.
  19. sancta — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural neuter, positive degree; Function: modifies vestimenta; Translation: holy; Notes: marks the garments as consecrated for sacred service.
  20. fratri — Lemma: frater; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine, 3rd declension; Function: indirect object; Translation: to (the) brother; Notes: identifies the beneficiary of the garments, namely Aaron.
  21. tuo — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: agrees with fratri; Translation: your; Notes: addresses Moses personally (“your brother”).
  22. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: noun (proper name); Form: dative singular masculine (indeclinable form); Function: in apposition to fratri tuo, further specifying which brother; Translation: Aaron; Notes: Hebrew proper name treated as indeclinable; case determined by context.
  23. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates the datives fratri tuo Aaron and filiis eius; Translation: and; Notes: extends the benefit to Aaron’s sons.
  24. filiis — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative plural masculine, 2nd declension; Function: indirect object; Translation: to (the) sons; Notes: those who share in the priestly office with Aaron.
  25. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: possessive pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: possessive genitive modifying filiis; Translation: his; Notes: shows that the sons in view are specifically the sons of Aaron.
  26. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces the purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: regularly followed by the subjunctive in purpose constructions.
  27. sacerdotio — Lemma: sacerdotium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter, 2nd declension; Function: complement of the deponent verb fungantur (ablative with fungor); Translation: by the priesthood / in the priesthood; Notes: denotes the office and function they exercise.
  28. fungantur — Lemma: fungor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: 3rd person plural present deponent subjunctive; Function: verb of the purpose clause; Translation: they may perform; Notes: deponent taking the ablative (sacerdotio), expressing the exercise of an office.
  29. mihi — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: personal pronoun; Form: dative singular; Function: dative of advantage; Translation: for me; Notes: refers to YHWH as the one for whom the priestly ministry is carried out.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Exodus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.