Exodus 36:18

Posted on March 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 36:18 Et fibulas æneas quinquaginta, quibus necteretur tectum, ut unum pallium ex omnibus sagis fieret.

And fifty bronze clasps, with which the roof might be fastened, so that one covering might be made from all the coverings.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 fibulas clasps ACC.PL.F NOUN
3 æneas bronze ACC.PL.F ADJ
4 quinquaginta fifty INDECL.NUM
5 quibus with which ABL.PL.F PRON.REL
6 necteretur might be fastened 3SG.IMP.PASS.SUBJ
7 tectum roof ACC.SG.N NOUN
8 ut so that CONJ.SUBORD
9 unum one ACC.SG.N ADJ
10 pallium covering ACC.SG.N NOUN
11 ex from PREP+ABL
12 omnibus all ABL.PL.N ADJ
13 sagis coverings ABL.PL.N NOUN
14 fieret might be made 3SG.IMP.PASS.SUBJ

Syntax

Main Phrase:
Et fibulas æneas quinquaginta — “And fifty bronze clasps.”
• Direct object implied with a governing verb from nearby context (“he made…” carried over).
• fibulas æneas quinquaginta = quantified object.

Relative Clause of Instrument:
quibus necteretur tectum — “with which the roof might be fastened.”
• quibus = ablative of instrument.
• necteretur = imperfect passive subjunctive expressing intended use.

Purpose Clause:
ut unum pallium ex omnibus sagis fieret — “so that one covering might be made from all the coverings.”
• ut introduces intent/purpose.
• ex omnibus sagis = ablative of source.
• fieret = result/purpose in the passive.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links this construction step with the preceding one; Translation: and; Notes: simple additive connector continuing the narrative list.
  2. fibulas — Lemma: fibula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object (understood verb “he made”); Translation: clasps; Notes: fasteners used to hold coverings together.
  3. æneas — Lemma: aeneus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies fibulas; Translation: bronze; Notes: indicates the material of the clasps.
  4. quinquaginta — Lemma: quinquaginta; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: quantifies fibulas; Translation: fifty; Notes: cardinal numeral marking quantity.
  5. quibus — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: ablative of instrument referring to the clasps; Translation: with which; Notes: introduces clause explaining use of the clasps.
  6. necteretur — Lemma: necto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect passive subjunctive; Function: expresses intended fastening action; Translation: might be fastened; Notes: passive highlights the roof as receiving the action.
  7. tectum — Lemma: tectum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of the fastening action; Translation: roof; Notes: refers to the covering over the tabernacle.
  8. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: subordinating conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: requires subjunctive verb fieret.
  9. unum — Lemma: unus; Part of Speech: adjective (numeral); Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies pallium; Translation: one; Notes: emphasizes unity from multiple coverings.
  10. pallium — Lemma: pallium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: object of fieret; Translation: covering; Notes: describes the unified outer layer.
  11. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses source or material; Translation: from; Notes: indicates origin from multiple pieces.
  12. omnibus — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: modifies sagis; Translation: all; Notes: totality of the coverings used together.
  13. sagis — Lemma: sagum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: ablative of source; Translation: coverings; Notes: refers to the goat-hair coverings previously described.
  14. fieret — Lemma: fio (passive of facio); Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect passive subjunctive; Function: expresses intended result; Translation: might be made; Notes: used in final clauses to express outcome or purpose.

 

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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