Exodus 36:30

Posted on March 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 36:30 ut octo essent simul tabulæ, et haberent bases argenteas sedecim, binas scilicet bases sub singulis tabulis.

so that the boards were eight together, and had sixteen silver bases, namely two bases under each board.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ut so that CONJ.SUBORD
2 octo eight INDECL.NUM
3 essent might be 3PL.IMP.SUBJ.ACT
4 simul together ADV
5 tabulæ boards NOM.PL.F NOUN
6 et and CONJ
7 haberent might have 3PL.IMP.SUBJ.ACT
8 bases bases ACC.PL.F NOUN
9 argenteas silver ACC.PL.F ADJ
10 sedecim sixteen INDECL.NUM
11 binas two each ACC.PL.F ADJ.DISTR
12 scilicet namely ADV
13 bases bases ACC.PL.F NOUN
14 sub under PREP+ABL
15 singulis each ABL.PL.F ADJ
16 tabulis boards ABL.PL.F NOUN

Syntax

Purpose Clause:
ut octo essent simul tabulæ — “so that the boards were eight together.”
• ut introduces a result/purpose clause.
• essent subjunctive expresses intended arrangement.

Coordinated Subjunctive Clause:
et haberent bases argenteas sedecim — “and had sixteen silver bases.”
• bases argenteas = direct object.
• sedecim modifies the total number.

Distributive Clarification:
binas scilicet bases sub singulis tabulis — “namely, two bases under each board.”
• binas = distributive numeral (“two apiece”).
• sub + ablative expresses position.

Morphology

  1. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces purpose/result clause; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive verbs.
  2. octo — Lemma: octo; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: quantifies tabulæ; Translation: eight; Notes: classical cardinal numeral.
  3. essent — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: might be; Notes: expresses intended arrangement.
  4. simul — Lemma: simul; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies essent; Translation: together; Notes: indicates unified grouping.
  5. tabulæ — Lemma: tabula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject of essent; Translation: boards; Notes: refers to structural planks.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects coordinated clauses; Translation: and; Notes: links second subjunctive clause.
  7. haberent — Lemma: habeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect active subjunctive; Function: verb of coordinated ut-clause; Translation: might have; Notes: explains intended support structure.
  8. bases — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object of haberent; Translation: bases; Notes: metal sockets for the boards.
  9. argenteas — Lemma: argenteus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies bases; Translation: silver; Notes: indicates material.
  10. sedecim — Lemma: sedecim; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: quantifies bases; Translation: sixteen; Notes: the total number of bases.
  11. binas — Lemma: bini; Part of Speech: distributive numeral adjective; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: modifies bases; Translation: two each; Notes: classical “one pair per item” numeral.
  12. scilicet — Lemma: scilicet; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: marks clarification; Translation: namely; Notes: introduces explanatory detail.
  13. bases — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of binas; Translation: bases; Notes: repeats for distributive emphasis.
  14. sub — Lemma: sub; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses position; Translation: under; Notes: static location, not motion.
  15. singulis — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies tabulis; Translation: each; Notes: distributive “one by one.”
  16. tabulis — Lemma: tabula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: object of sub; Translation: boards; Notes: the boards receiving the bases.

 

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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