Exodus 37:19

Posted on March 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 37:19 tres scyphi in nucis modum per calamos singulos, sphærulæque simul et lilia: et tres scyphi instar nucis in calamo altero, sphærulæque simul et lilia. Æquum erat opus sex calamorum, qui procedebant de stipite candelabri.

three cups in the form of a nut on each of the branches, and knobs together with lilies; and three cups in the likeness of a nut on another branch, and knobs together with lilies. Equal was the workmanship of the six branches that were projecting from the stem of the lampstand.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 tres three NOM.PL.M NUM
2 scyphi cups NOM.PL.M NOUN
3 in in PREP+ACC
4 nucis of a nut GEN.SG.F NOUN
5 modum form / shape ACC.SG.M NOUN
6 per on / along PREP+ACC
7 calamos branches ACC.PL.M NOUN
8 singulos each ACC.PL.M ADJ
9 sphærulæque and knobs NOM.PL.F NOUN+CONJ
10 simul together ADV
11 et and CONJ
12 lilia lilies NOM.PL.N NOUN
13 et and CONJ
14 tres three NOM.PL.M NUM
15 scyphi cups NOM.PL.M NOUN
16 instar in the likeness of PREP+GEN
17 nucis of a nut GEN.SG.F NOUN
18 in on PREP+ABL
19 calamo branch ABL.SG.M NOUN
20 altero another ABL.SG.M ADJ
21 sphærulæque and knobs NOM.PL.F NOUN+CONJ
22 simul together ADV
23 et and CONJ
24 lilia lilies NOM.PL.N NOUN
25 Æquum equal NOM.SG.N ADJ
26 erat was 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
27 opus workmanship NOM.SG.N NOUN
28 sex six INDECL.NUM
29 calamorum of the branches GEN.PL.M NOUN
30 qui which NOM.PL.M PRON.REL
31 procedebant were projecting 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND
32 de from PREP+ABL
33 stipite stem ABL.SG.M NOUN
34 candelabri of the lampstand GEN.SG.N NOUN

Syntax

First descriptive complex:
tres scyphi in nucis modum per calamos singulos — “three cups in the form of a nut on each of the branches.”
• tres scyphi = nominative subject group (three cups).
• in nucis modum = idiomatic comparative phrase “in the shape/form of a nut.”
• per calamos singulos = distributive phrase, “on each branch.”

sphærulæque simul et lilia — “and knobs together with lilies.”
• Coordinated nominative subjects, describing further decorative elements on those branches.

Parallel second complex:
et tres scyphi instar nucis in calamo altero — “and three cups in the likeness of a nut on another branch.”
• instar nucis functions like a preposition + genitive: “in the likeness of a nut.”
• in calamo altero = locative phrase, “on another branch.”

sphærulæque simul et lilia repeated for symmetry of ornamentation on the other side.

Summary clause:
Æquum erat opus sex calamorum — “Equal was the workmanship of the six branches.”
• Æquum = predicate adjective.
• opus = subject.
• sex calamorum = genitive of specification, “of the six branches.”

qui procedebant de stipite candelabri — relative clause: “which were projecting from the stem of the lampstand.”
• qui refers back to calamorum.
• procedebant = imperfect, describing continuous projection.
• de stipite candelabri = ablative of source, “from the stem of the lampstand.”

Morphology

  1. tres — Lemma: tres; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies the subject scyphi; Translation: three; Notes: agrees in gender and number with scyphi.
  2. scyphi — Lemma: scyphus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject; Translation: cups; Notes: decorative cup-shaped elements on the branches.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative here (modum); Function: introduces idiomatic phrase of comparison; Translation: in; Notes: part of the idiom “in modum”.
  4. nucis — Lemma: nux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: depends on modum (“the form of a nut”); Translation: of a nut; Notes: genitive of description.
  5. modum — Lemma: modus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object in the phrase in nucis modum; Translation: form / shape; Notes: fixed idiom “in modum + genitive”.
  6. per — Lemma: per; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: distributive, “over/along each”; Translation: on / along; Notes: marks distribution across the branches.
  7. calamos — Lemma: calamus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of per; Translation: branches; Notes: refers to side arms of the candelabrum.
  8. singulos — Lemma: singulus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies calamos; Translation: each; Notes: distributive adjective (“each individual branch”).
  9. sphærulæque — Lemma: sphærula; Part of Speech: noun with enclitic conjunction; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: coordinated subject with lilia; Translation: and knobs; Notes: -que links to the preceding series of decorative items.
  10. simul — Lemma: simul; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: modifies the coordinated phrase sphærulæ … et lilia; Translation: together; Notes: emphasizes that knobs and lilies appear together.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates sphærulæ and lilia; Translation: and; Notes: simple linking conjunction.
  12. lilia — Lemma: lilium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: coordinated subject element; Translation: lilies; Notes: floral ornaments shaped like lilies.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces the parallel second description; Translation: and; Notes: marks continuation of the pattern.
  14. tres — Lemma: tres; Part of Speech: numeral adjective; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: modifies the repeated subject scyphi; Translation: three; Notes: parallels the first “three cups.”
  15. scyphi — Lemma: scyphus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of the second parallel description; Translation: cups; Notes: same decorative elements on the other side.
  16. instar — Lemma: instar; Part of Speech: indeclinable noun used as preposition; Form: invariable governing genitive; Function: introduces a comparison; Translation: in the likeness of; Notes: regularly takes a genitive complement.
  17. nucis — Lemma: nux; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: complement of instar; Translation: of a nut; Notes: defines the comparative model.
  18. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative (calamo); Function: locative; Translation: on; Notes: indicates the location of the cups.
  19. calamo — Lemma: calamus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of in; Translation: branch; Notes: one specific branch of the lampstand.
  20. altero — Lemma: alter; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: modifies calamo; Translation: another; Notes: contrasts this branch with the ones previously described.
  21. sphærulæque — Lemma: sphærula; Part of Speech: noun with enclitic conjunction; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject in the repeated pattern; Translation: and knobs; Notes: repeats the decorative triad for the other side.
  22. simul — Lemma: simul; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: again modifies the whole decorative group; Translation: together; Notes: stresses the unity of the ornamentation.
  23. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links sphærulæ and lilia; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  24. lilia — Lemma: lilium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: coordinated subject in the second decorative series; Translation: lilies; Notes: mirrors the first mention of lilia.
  25. Æquum — Lemma: aequus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: predicate adjective with opus; Translation: equal; Notes: sums up the uniformity of the whole design.
  26. erat — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: copula linking Æquum and opus; Translation: was; Notes: imperfect gives a descriptive, ongoing state.
  27. opus — Lemma: opus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular neuter; Function: grammatical subject; Translation: workmanship; Notes: refers to the craftsmanship of the branches.
  28. sex — Lemma: sex; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: indeclinable; Function: modifies calamorum; Translation: six; Notes: specifies number of branches.
  29. calamorum — Lemma: calamus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: dependent genitive with opus; Translation: of the branches; Notes: “the workmanship of the six branches.”
  30. qui — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of the relative clause; Translation: which; Notes: refers back to calamorum.
  31. procedebant — Lemma: procedo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb of the relative clause; Translation: were projecting; Notes: imperfect highlights continuous extension from the stem.
  32. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses source; Translation: from; Notes: ablative of origin.
  33. stipite — Lemma: stipes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of de; Translation: stem; Notes: the central shaft of the lampstand.
  34. candelabri — Lemma: candelabrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter; Function: possessive genitive with stipite; Translation: of the lampstand; Notes: identifies the stem as belonging to the candelabrum.

 

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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