Exodus 35:5

Posted on March 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 35:5 Separate apud vos primitias Domino. Omnis voluntarius et prono animo offerat eas Domino: aurum et argentum, et æs,

‘Set apart among yourselves the first-fruits for the LORD. Whoever is willing and of a ready heart, let him offer them to the LORD: gold and silver, and bronze,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Separate set apart 2PL.PRES.ACT.IMPER 1ST CONJ
2 apud among / with PREP+ACC
3 vos you ACC.PL.PERS.PRON
4 primitias first-fruits ACC.PL.F 1ST DECL
5 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M 2ND DECL
6 Omnis every NOM.SG.M ADJ 3RD DECL
7 voluntarius willing NOM.SG.M ADJ 1ST/2ND DECL
8 et and CONJ
9 prono inclined / ready ABL.SG.M ADJ 1ST/2ND DECL
10 animo heart / spirit ABL.SG.M 2ND DECL
11 offerat let him offer 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ 1ST CONJ
12 eas them ACC.PL.F PERS.PRON
13 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M 2ND DECL
14 aurum gold ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL
15 et and CONJ
16 argentum silver ACC.SG.N 2ND DECL
17 et and CONJ
18 æs bronze ACC.SG.N 3RD DECL

Syntax

Imperative Command:
Separate apud vos primitias Domino
• Separate = direct command, plural.
• apud vos = “among yourselves,” indicating community action.
• primitias = object of the command.
• Domino = dative of destination (“for the LORD”).

Omnis voluntarius et prono animo — “every willing one and with a ready heart.”
• Ablative absolute-like description of disposition.

offerat eas Domino — “let him offer them to the LORD.”
• offerat = 3sg present subjunctive functioning as a legal/jussive instruction.

aurum et argentum et æs — “gold and silver and bronze.”
• Classic polysyndeton (et… et… et…).

Morphology

  1. Separate — Lemma: separō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person plural present active imperative; Function: command to the community; Translation: set apart; Notes: legal imperative directed to all Israel.
  2. apud — Lemma: apud; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses relational proximity; Translation: among, with; Notes: common in later Latin and Vulgate style.
  3. vos — Lemma: vōs; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: object of apud; Translation: you; Notes: emphasizes communal participation.
  4. primitias — Lemma: prīmitia; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: first-fruits; Notes: refers to offerings from agricultural produce.
  5. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH → must be translated as “LORD.”
  6. Omnis — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of offerat; Translation: every; Notes: marks universality conditioned by willingness.
  7. voluntarius — Lemma: voluntarius; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: describes one who may offer; Translation: willing; Notes: highlights voluntary giving.
  8. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links descriptive elements; Translation: and; Notes: simple connective.
  9. prono — Lemma: prōnus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies animo; Translation: ready, inclined; Notes: describes willing disposition.
  10. animo — Lemma: animus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: ablative of manner; Translation: heart, spirit; Notes: indicates inward disposition.
  11. offerat — Lemma: offerō; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active subjunctive; Function: jussive subjunctive expressing divine instruction; Translation: let him offer; Notes: carries legal force.
  12. eas — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of offerat; Translation: them; Notes: refers to primitias.
  13. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  14. aurum — Lemma: aurum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object in list of offerings; Translation: gold; Notes: material for sanctuary objects.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: joins items; Translation: and; Notes: poly-syndeton begins.
  16. argentum — Lemma: argentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: item in list; Translation: silver; Notes: used in tabernacle fittings.
  17. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects final item; Translation: and; Notes: rhythmic listing style.
  18. æs — Lemma: aes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: final item in list; Translation: bronze; Notes: 3rd declension; widely used in sanctuary construction.

 

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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