Exodus 31:5

Posted on March 22, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 31:5 marmore, et gemmis, et diversitate lignorum.

in marble, and in gems, and in the variety of woods.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 marmore in marble ABL.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
2 et and CONJ INDECL
3 gemmis in gems ABL.PL.F NOUN 1ST DECL
4 et and CONJ INDECL
5 diversitate in the variety ABL.SG.F NOUN 3RD DECL
6 lignorum of woods GEN.PL.N NOUN 2ND DECL

Syntax

Series of Ablatives: marmore … gemmis … diversitate lignorum — enumerates materials or domains of craftsmanship.
Polysyndeton: repeated et adds weight and breadth to the list.
Genitive Construction: diversitate lignorum — “variety of woods,” specifying type by a partitive genitive.

Morphology

  1. marmore — Lemma: marmor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: ablative of respect/material; Translation: in marble; Notes: highlights stone craftsmanship.
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates items; Translation: and; Notes: marks additive listing.
  3. gemmis — Lemma: gemma; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: ablative of material; Translation: in gems; Notes: indicates precious-stone craftsmanship.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links final item; Translation: and; Notes: continuation of polysyndeton.
  5. diversitate — Lemma: diversitas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of specification; Translation: in the variety; Notes: denotes variety as a domain of craftsmanship.
  6. lignorum — Lemma: lignum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural neuter; Function: modifies diversitate; Translation: of woods; Notes: partitive genitive expressing kinds of wood.

 

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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