Exodus 29:38

Posted on March 20, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 29:38 Hoc est quod facies in altari: Agnos anniculos duos per singulos dies iugiter,

This is what you shall do upon the altar: two year-old lambs each day continually,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hoc this ACC.SG.N PRON DEM
2 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
3 quod what NOM.SG.N PRON REL
4 facies you shall do 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
5 in on / in PREP+ABL INDECL
6 altari altar ABL.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
7 Agnos lambs ACC.PL.M NOUN 2ND DECL
8 anniculos year-old ACC.PL.M ADJ POS
9 duos two ACC.PL.M ADJ NUM
10 per each / through PREP+ACC INDECL
11 singulos each ACC.PL.M ADJ POS
12 dies days ACC.PL.M NOUN 5TH DECL
13 iugiter continually ADV INDECL

Syntax

Demonstrative Clause: Hoc est quod facies — formula introducing instructions; quod functions as internal head of object clause.
Prepositional Phrase: in altari specifies location of the commanded action.
Main Object: Agnos anniculos duos — direct object of implied verb “offer” governed by context.
Adverbial Phrase: per singulos dies indicates frequency.
Adverb: iugiter reinforces perpetual repetition.

Morphology

  1. Hoc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: predicate accusative with est; Translation: this; Notes: points forward to ritual instructions.
  2. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative third singular; Function: linking verb; Translation: is; Notes: joins Hoc with relative clause.
  3. quod — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: relative pronoun introducing object clause; Translation: what; Notes: refers to entire sacrificial procedure.
  4. facies — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: future active indicative second singular; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall do; Notes: conveys divine command.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: upon; Notes: spatial reference.
  6. altari — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: altar; Notes: the place of continual burnt offering.
  7. Agnos — Lemma: agnus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: lambs; Notes: refers to daily sacrificial lambs.
  8. anniculos — Lemma: anniculus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies Agnos; Translation: year-old; Notes: denotes age requirement.
  9. duos — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: counts Agnos; Translation: two; Notes: specifies daily number.
  10. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: distributive phrase; Translation: each; Notes: expresses strict daily repetition.
  11. singulos — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies dies; Translation: each; Notes: distributive numeral.
  12. dies — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: days; Notes: indicates continuous daily cycle.
  13. iugiter — Lemma: iugiter; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies entire action; Translation: continually; Notes: emphasizes perpetual nature of offering.

 

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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