Exodus 35:21

Posted on March 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 35:21 obtulerunt mente promptissima atque devota primitias Domino, ad faciendum opus tabernaculi testimonii. Quidquid ad cultum et ad vestes sanctas necessarium erat,

they offered to the LORD with a most willing and devout mind the first portions, for the making of the work of the tabernacle of the testimony. Whatever was necessary for the service and for the holy garments,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 obtulerunt they offered 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND
2 mente with mind ABL.SG.F 3RD DECL
3 promptissima most willing ABL.SG.F ADJ SUPER
4 atque and CONJ
5 devota devout ABL.SG.F ADJ
6 primitias first portions ACC.PL.F 3RD DECL
7 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M 2ND DECL
8 ad for / to PREP+ACC
9 faciendum for making ACC.SG.N GERUNDV
10 opus work ACC.SG.N 3RD DECL
11 tabernaculi of the tabernacle GEN.SG.N 2ND DECL
12 testimonii of the testimony GEN.SG.N 2ND DECL
13 Quidquid whatever NOM/ACC.SG.N PRON.INDEF
14 ad for / to PREP+ACC
15 cultum service / worship ACC.SG.M 4TH DECL
16 et and CONJ
17 ad for / to PREP+ACC
18 vestes garments ACC.PL.F 3RD DECL
19 sanctas holy ACC.PL.F ADJ
20 necessarium necessary NOM/ACC.SG.N ADJ
21 erat was 3SG.IMPERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Verb:
obtulerunt — “they offered,” governing the object primitias.

Manner Phrase:
mente promptissima atque devota — ablative of manner, describing the spirit of offering.

Domino — dative, indicating the recipient.

Purpose Gerundive Construction:
ad faciendum opus tabernaculi testimonii — “for making the work of the tabernacle of the testimony.”

Independent Clause Introduced by Indefinite Pronoun:
Quidquid … necessarium erat — “Whatever was necessary…”

Double Prepositional Phrases:
ad cultum and ad vestes sanctas — “for the service” and “for the holy garments.”

Morphology

  1. obtulerunt — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: they offered; Notes: perfect indicative expressing completed action.
  2. mente — Lemma: mens; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of manner; Translation: with mind; Notes: expresses internal disposition.
  3. promptissima — Lemma: promptus; Part of Speech: adjective (superlative); Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies mente; Translation: most willing; Notes: denotes eagerness.
  4. atque — Lemma: atque; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links adjectives; Translation: and; Notes: slightly stronger than et.
  5. devota — Lemma: devotus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies mente; Translation: devout; Notes: describes attitude of piety.
  6. primitias — Lemma: primitiae; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: first portions; Notes: refers to voluntary offerings.
  7. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: denotes divine recipient of offerings.
  8. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses purpose; Translation: for / to; Notes: introduces gerundive phrase.
  9. faciendum — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: gerundive; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: complements ad expressing purpose; Translation: for making; Notes: used impersonally.
  10. opus — Lemma: opus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of gerundive phrase; Translation: work; Notes: construction of the tabernacle.
  11. tabernaculi — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: modifies opus; Translation: of the tabernacle; Notes: identifies sanctified structure.
  12. testimonii — Lemma: testimonium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: further qualifies tabernaculi; Translation: of the testimony; Notes: refers to covenantal witness.
  13. Quidquid — Lemma: quidquid; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: introduces new clause; Translation: whatever; Notes: broadens scope.
  14. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates purpose; Translation: for; Notes: linked to cultum.
  15. cultum — Lemma: cultus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: service / worship; Notes: refers to ritual functions.
  16. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins phrases; Translation: and; Notes: simple connector.
  17. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces second purpose phrase; Translation: for; Notes: linked to holy garments.
  18. vestes — Lemma: vestis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of ad; Translation: garments; Notes: priestly vestments.
  19. sanctas — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies vestes; Translation: holy; Notes: emphasizes consecration.
  20. necessarium — Lemma: necessarius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: predicate with erat; Translation: necessary; Notes: expresses requirement.
  21. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: linking verb; Translation: was; Notes: describes ongoing necessity.

 

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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