Exodus 3:19

Posted on February 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 3:19 Sed ego scio quod non dimittet vos rex Ægypti ut eatis nisi per manum validam.

But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless by a strong hand.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Sed but CONJ
2 ego I NOM.SG.PRON
3 scio I know 1SG.PRES.ACT.IND
4 quod that SUB.CONJ
5 non not NEG.PART
6 dimittet will release 3SG.FUT.ACT.IND
7 vos you ACC.PL.PRON
8 rex king NOM.SG.M
9 Ægypti of Egypt GEN.SG.F
10 ut that SUB.CONJ
11 eatis you may go 2PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
12 nisi unless SUB.CONJ
13 per by PREP+ACC
14 manum hand ACC.SG.F
15 validam strong ACC.SG.F.ADJ

Syntax

Main Clause:
Sed ego scio — “But I know.”
• ego = explicit subject for emphasis.
• scio = cognitive main verb.

Content Clause:
quod non dimittet vos rex Ægypti — “that the king of Egypt will not release you.”
• rex Ægypti = subject + genitive modifier.
• dimittet = future active indicative.
• vos = direct object.

Purpose / Result Clause:
ut eatis — “that you may go.”
• eatis = subjunctive of intention/permission.

Exception Phrase:
nisi per manum validam — “unless by a strong hand.”
• per + accusative = instrument/agency.
• manum validam = metaphor for divine power.

Morphology

  1. Sed — Lemma: sed; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: “but”; Notes: Sets up divine foreknowledge.
  2. ego — Lemma: ego; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: nominative singular; Function: subject; Translation: “I”; Notes: Explicit for emphasis.
  3. scio — Lemma: scio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 1st singular present active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: “I know”; Notes: Introduces content clause.
  4. quod — Lemma: quod; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces dependent statement; Translation: “that”; Notes: Standard in biblical Latin.
  5. non — Lemma: non; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: negative particle; Function: negation of verb; Translation: “not”; Notes: Simple clausal negation.
  6. dimittet — Lemma: dimitto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of subordinate clause; Translation: “will release”; Notes: Future of refusal/certainty.
  7. vos — Lemma: vos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: direct object; Translation: “you”; Notes: Refers to Israel’s representatives.
  8. rex — Lemma: rex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of dimittet; Translation: “king”; Notes: Refers to Pharaoh.
  9. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: modifies rex; Translation: “of Egypt”; Notes: Identifies domain of the king.
  10. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: “that”; Notes: Takes subjunctive eatis.
  11. eatis — Lemma: eo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd plural present active subjunctive; Function: action of the purpose clause; Translation: “you may go”; Notes: Expresses intended departure.
  12. nisi — Lemma: nisi; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces exception; Translation: “unless”; Notes: Sets condition for Pharaoh’s compliance.
  13. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses agency/means; Translation: “by”; Notes: Instrumental preposition.
  14. manum — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of per; Translation: “hand”; Notes: Figurative for force/intervention.
  15. validam — Lemma: validus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies manum; Translation: “strong”; Notes: Conveys divine might.

 

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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