Exodus 36:36

Posted on March 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 36:36 et quattuor columnas de lignis setim, quas cum capitibus deauravit, fusis basibus earum argenteis.

and four columns of setim wood, which he overlaid with gold on their capitals, their bases being cast of silver.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 quattuor four ACC.PL.F/INDECL.NUM
3 columnas columns ACC.PL.F NOUN
4 de of / from PREP+ABL
5 lignis woods ABL.PL.N NOUN
6 setim setim / acacia ABL.PL.N NOUN.INDECL
7 quas which ACC.PL.F PRON.REL
8 cum with PREP+ABL
9 capitibus capitals ABL.PL.N NOUN
10 deauravit he gilded 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
11 fūsīs having been cast ABL.PL.F PTCP.PERF.PASS
12 basibus bases ABL.PL.F NOUN
13 earum of them GEN.PL.F PRON.DEM
14 argenteīs silver ABL.PL.F ADJ

Syntax

Main Object Phrase:
et quattuor columnas — “and four columns.”
• Accusative object coordinated with previous items.

Material Phrase:
de lignis setim — “of setim (acacia) wood.”
• Ablative of material with de.

Relative Clause:
quas cum capitibus deauravit — “which he gilded with (their) capitals.”
• quas refers to the columns.
• deauravit = perfect verb governing both column shafts and their capitals.

Ablative Absolute:
fūsīs basibus earum argenteīs — “their bases having been cast of silver.”
• Describes circumstances under which the columns were overlaid.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: adds another item to the construction list; Translation: and; Notes: links this clause to the prior inventory.
  2. quattuor — Lemma: quattuor; Part of Speech: numeral (indeclinable); Form: indeclinable numeral; Function: modifies columnas; Translation: four; Notes: cardinal number indicating total columns.
  3. columnas — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: columns; Notes: structural pillars of the veil partition.
  4. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses material; Translation: of / from; Notes: introduces material composition.
  5. lignis — Lemma: lignum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: ablative of material; Translation: woods; Notes: specifies wooden construction.
  6. setim — Lemma: setim; Part of Speech: noun (indeclinable); Form: ablative plural; Function: specifies type of wood; Translation: setim / acacia; Notes: Hebrew שִׁטִּים wood used in sacred furnishings.
  7. quas — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of deauravit; Translation: which; Notes: refers to the columns.
  8. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses accompaniment; Translation: with; Notes: binds columns and capitals together under one gilding action.
  9. capitibus — Lemma: caput; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: ablative of accompaniment; Translation: capitals; Notes: upper decorative heads of columns.
  10. deauravit — Lemma: deauro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: he gilded; Notes: describes overlaid gold work.
  11. fūsīs — Lemma: fundo; Part of Speech: participle; Form: ablative plural feminine perfect passive participle; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: having been cast; Notes: indicates molten casting process for bases.
  12. basibus — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: part of ablative absolute; Translation: bases; Notes: socketed supports at foot of columns.
  13. earum — Lemma: is, ea, id; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: possessive; Translation: of them; Notes: refers to the columns.
  14. argenteis — Lemma: argenteus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: modifies basibus; Translation: silver; Notes: indicates material.

 

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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