Exodus 35:33

Posted on March 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 35:33 sculpendisque lapidibus, et opere carpentario. quidquid fabre adinveniri potest,

and for carving stones, and for carpentry work. Whatever can be skillfully devised,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 sculpendis for carving GERUNDV.ABL.PL.M/F/N.PASS
2 lapidibus stones NOUN.ABL.PL.M.3RD DECL
3 et and CONJ
4 opere work NOUN.ABL.SG.N.3RD DECL
5 carpentario carpentry ADJ.ABL.SG.N.POS
6 quidquid whatever PRON.INDEF.NOM/ACC.SG.N
7 fabre skillfully ADV
8 adinveniri to be devised INF.PRES.PASS.3RD CONJ
9 potest is able / can 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND.IRREG

Syntax

Ablative of Purpose / Means: sculpendis lapidibus — “for carving stones,” gerundive construction expressing suitability or purpose.

Coordinated Phrase: opere carpentario — ablative of means/instrument, “for carpentry work.”

Independent Clause: quidquid fabre adinveniri potest — “whatever can be skillfully devised,” a general relative clause functioning substantively.

Morphology

  1. sculpendis — Lemma: sculpo; Part of Speech: gerundive; Form: ablative plural passive; Function: expresses purpose in ablative of means; Translation: for carving; Notes: agrees with implied material (lapidibus).
  2. lapidibus — Lemma: lapis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine (3rd declension); Function: ablative of means; Translation: stones; Notes: object of the gerundive action.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects parallel ablative constructions; Translation: and; Notes: simple connective.
  4. opere — Lemma: opus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter (3rd declension); Function: ablative of means; Translation: work; Notes: category of craftsmanship.
  5. carpentario — Lemma: carpentarius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: modifies opere; Translation: carpentry; Notes: refers to woodworking skill.
  6. quidquid — Lemma: quisquis; Part of Speech: indefinite pronoun; Form: nominative/accusative singular neuter; Function: subject of potest; Translation: whatever; Notes: introduces general relative clause.
  7. fabre — Lemma: fabre; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies adinveniri; Translation: skillfully; Notes: describes quality of craftsmanship.
  8. adinveniri — Lemma: adinvenio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive (4th conjugation compound); Function: complementary infinitive with potest; Translation: to be devised; Notes: passive infinitive indicating possible creation or invention.
  9. potest — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active indicative 3rd singular; Function: main verb of clause; Translation: can / is able; Notes: irregular defective verb.

 

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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