Exodus 32:30

Posted on March 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 32:30 Facto autem altero die, locutus est Moyses ad populum: Peccastis peccatum maximum: ascendam ad Dominum, si quo modo quivero eum deprecari pro scelere vestro.

But on the next day Moyses spoke to the people: “You have committed a very great sin; I will ascend to the LORD, if in any way I may be able to entreat Him on behalf of your sin.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Facto when it was done ABL.SG.N PTCP.PERF.PASS 3RD CONJ
2 autem however ADV INDECL
3 altero the other / next ABL.SG.M ADJ
4 die day ABL.SG.F NOUN 5TH DECL
5 locutus having spoken NOM.SG.M PTCP.PERF.DEP 3RD CONJ
6 est he spoke 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND IRREG
7 Moyses Moses NOM.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
8 ad to PREP+ACC
9 populum people ACC.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
10 Peccastis you have sinned 2PL.PERF.ACT.IND 1ST CONJ
11 peccatum sin ACC.SG.N NOUN 2ND DECL
12 maximum very great ACC.SG.N ADJ SUPER
13 ascendam I will ascend 1SG.FUT.ACT.IND 3RD CONJ
14 ad to PREP+ACC
15 Dominum the LORD ACC.SG.M NOUN 2ND DECL
16 si if CONJ INDECL
17 quo in any way ADV INDECL
18 modo way ABL.SG.M NOUN 4TH DECL
19 quivero I may be able 1SG.FUTP.ACT.IND IRREG
20 eum him ACC.SG.M PRON PERS
21 deprecari to entreat INF.PRES.DEP 1ST CONJ
22 pro on behalf of PREP+ABL
23 scelere sin / wickedness ABL.SG.N NOUN 3RD DECL
24 vestro your ABL.SG.N ADJ POSS

Syntax

Temporal Ablative Absolute:
Facto autem altero die — “But when the next day had occurred.”
• Ablative absolute marking the temporal setting for Moses’ speech.

Main Clause:
locutus est Moyses ad populum — “Moses spoke to the people.”
• Deponent participle + est forming perfect verb.

Direct Speech 1:
Peccastis peccatum maximum — “You have committed a very great sin.”
• peccastis = shortened perfect of peccavistis.
• peccatum maximum = object + emphatic superlative.

Direct Speech 2:
ascendam ad Dominum — “I will ascend to the LORD.”
• Future indicative showing Moses’ intention.

Conditional Final Clause:
si quo modo quivero eum deprecari — “if in any way I may be able to entreat Him.”
• si introduces condition.
• quo modo = “by any means.”
• quivero = future perfect expressing uncertain possibility.
• deprecari = complementary infinitive of a deponent verb.

Complement Phrase:
pro scelere vestro — “on behalf of your sin.”
• Ablative with pro = substitution / representation.

Morphology

  1. Facto — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative singular neuter perfect passive participle; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: when it was done; Notes: Opens the temporal clause setting the next day’s events.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb/conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: transitional connector; Translation: however; Notes: Soft contrast linking narrative units.
  3. altero — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifier of die; Translation: the other / next; Notes: Indicates the following day.
  4. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of time; Translation: day; Notes: Fifth declension; paired with altero.
  5. locutus — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: participle (deponent); Form: nominative singular masculine perfect participle; Function: with est forms perfect verb; Translation: having spoken; Notes: Deponent with active meaning.
  6. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third singular present active indicative; Function: auxiliary with deponent participle; Translation: he; Notes: Forms perfect periphrasis.
  7. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: Moses; Notes: Standard Greek-Latin form.
  8. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates audience; Translation: to; Notes: Direction toward people.
  9. populum — Lemma: populus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: people; Notes: Refers to Israel as covenant community.
  10. Peccastis — Lemma: pecco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second plural perfect active indicative; Function: rebuke; Translation: you have sinned; Notes: Contracted form of peccavistis, common in later Latin.
  11. peccatum — Lemma: peccatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: sin; Notes: The specific golden-calf offense.
  12. maximum — Lemma: magnus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter superlative; Function: modifies peccatum; Translation: very great; Notes: SUPER form; not positive or comparative.
  13. ascendam — Lemma: ascendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first singular future active indicative; Function: intention; Translation: I will ascend; Notes: Ascending to the LORD implies entering His presence on Sinai.
  14. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: goal of motion; Translation: to; Notes: Repeated for emphasis of destination.
  15. Dominum — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: the LORD; Notes: Refers to YHWH; must be translated “LORD.”
  16. si — Lemma: si; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces condition; Translation: if; Notes: Marks a hopeful but uncertain possibility.
  17. quo — Lemma: quo; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: adverb of manner; Translation: in any way; Notes: Often paired with modo.
  18. modo — Lemma: modus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: cognate expression with quo; Translation: way; Notes: Together quo modo = “by any means.”
  19. quivero — Lemma: queo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first singular future perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of conditional clause; Translation: I may be able; Notes: Expresses remote possibility; irregular paradigm.
  20. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of deprecari; Translation: him; Notes: Refers to the LORD.
  21. deprecari — Lemma: deprecor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: present infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive; Translation: to entreat; Notes: Deponent with active sense of supplication.
  22. pro — Lemma: pro; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses representation; Translation: on behalf of; Notes: Used in intercessory contexts.
  23. scelere — Lemma: scelus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of pro; Translation: sin / crime; Notes: Stronger than peccatum, emphasizing gravity.
  24. vestro — Lemma: vester; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies scelere; Translation: your; Notes: Collective address to Israel.

 

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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