Exodus 36:34

Posted on March 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 36:34 Ipsa autem tabulata deauravit, fusis basibus earum argenteis. Et circulos eorum fecit aureos, per quos vectes induci possent: quos et ipsos laminis aureis operuit.

But the boards themselves he overlaid with gold, their bases being cast of silver. And he made their rings of gold, through which the bars could be inserted; and he overlaid those bars also with plates of gold.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Ipsa the … themselves NOM.PL.N PRON.DEM
2 autem but ADV
3 tabulata boards NOM.PL.N NOUN
4 deauravit he gilded / overlaid with gold 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 fūsīs having been cast ABL.PL.F PTCP.PERF.PASS
6 basibus bases ABL.PL.F NOUN
7 earum of them GEN.PL.F PRON.DEM
8 argenteīs silver ABL.PL.F ADJ
9 Et and CONJ
10 circulos rings ACC.PL.M NOUN
11 eorum of them GEN.PL.M/N PRON.DEM
12 fecit he made 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
13 aureos golden ACC.PL.M ADJ
14 per through PREP+ACC
15 quos which ACC.PL.M PRON.REL
16 vectes bars ACC.PL.M NOUN
17 induci to be inserted PRES.INF.PASS
18 possent could 3PL.IMP.SUBJ.ACT
19 quos which ACC.PL.M PRON.REL
20 et also CONJ
21 ipsos those ACC.PL.M PRON.DEM
22 laminis plates ABL.PL.F NOUN
23 aureis golden ABL.PL.F ADJ
24 operuit he overlaid 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause:
Ipsa autem tabulata deauravit — “But the boards themselves he overlaid with gold.”
• Ipsa tabulata = emphatic subject.
• deauravit = perfect verb of completed action.

Ablative Absolute:
fūsīs basibus earum argenteīs — “their bases having been cast of silver.”
• Describes the condition accompanying the gilding.

Second Main Clause:
Et circulos eorum fecit aureos — “And he made their rings of gold.”

Relative Clause of Capability:
per quos vectes induci possent — “through which the bars could be inserted.”
• induci = passive infinitive.
• possent = subjunctive of potentiality.

Final Clause:
quos et ipsos laminis aureis operuit — “and he overlaid those bars also with plates of gold.”
• quos … ipsos = explicit emphatic reference to the bars.

Morphology

  1. Ipsa — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: emphasizes subject tabulata; Translation: the … themselves; Notes: adds emphasis that the boards, not just accessories, were gilded.
  2. autem — Lemma: autem; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: introduces contrast; Translation: but; Notes: mild adversative.
  3. tabulata — Lemma: tabulatum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject; Translation: boards; Notes: refers to panel-planks of the structure.
  4. deauravit — Lemma: deauro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he overlaid with gold; Notes: denotes gilding work.
  5. fūsīs — Lemma: fundo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative plural feminine perfect passive participle; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: having been cast; Notes: describes bases formed by pouring molten metal.
  6. basibus — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: part of ablative absolute; Translation: bases; Notes: foundational sockets of the boards.
  7. earum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: denotes possession; Translation: of them; Notes: refers to the boards.
  8. argenteis — Lemma: argenteus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies basibus; Translation: silver; Notes: describes material.
  9. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links next clause; Translation: and; Notes: continues narrative sequence.
  10. circulos — Lemma: circulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: direct object; Translation: rings; Notes: metal loops receiving bars.
  11. eorum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine/neuter; Function: indicates ownership; Translation: of them; Notes: refers to rings belonging to the boards.
  12. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: verb of action; Translation: he made; Notes: describes fabrication.
  13. aureos — Lemma: aureus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies circulos; Translation: golden; Notes: specifies material.
  14. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: expresses passage; Translation: through; Notes: introduces path.
  15. quos — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: which; Notes: refers to rings.
  16. vectes — Lemma: vectis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: subject (logical) of induci; Translation: bars; Notes: bars inserted through rings.
  17. induci — Lemma: induco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present passive infinitive; Function: complement with possent; Translation: to be inserted; Notes: expresses potential insertion.
  18. possent — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect active subjunctive; Function: expresses potentiality; Translation: could; Notes: subjunctive required by relative clause of capability.
  19. quos — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of operuit; Translation: which; Notes: refers to the bars.
  20. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: adds emphasis; Translation: also; Notes: marks continuation of embellishment.
  21. ipsos — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: intensifies quos; Translation: those; Notes: stresses that the bars themselves received gold.
  22. laminis — Lemma: lamina; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: ablative of instrument; Translation: plates; Notes: thin sheets of metal.
  23. aureis — Lemma: aureus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies laminis; Translation: golden; Notes: describes gilding material.
  24. operuit — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb of final clause; Translation: he overlaid; Notes: perfect for completed decorative action.

 

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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