Exodus 37:22

Posted on March 28, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 37:22 et sphærulæ igitur, et calami ex ipso erant, universa ductilia ex auro purissimo.

and the knobs therefore, and the branches were from it, all of them hammered work of very pure gold.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 sphærulæ knobs NOM.PL.F NOUN
3 igitur therefore ADV
4 et and CONJ
5 calami branches NOM.PL.M NOUN
6 ex from PREP+ABL
7 ipso from it ABL.SG.M PRON.DEM
8 erant were 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND
9 universa all NOM.PL.N ADJ
10 ductilia hammered work NOM.PL.N ADJ
11 ex from PREP+ABL
12 auro gold ABL.SG.N NOUN
13 purissimo most pure ABL.SG.N ADJ.SUPER

Syntax

Compound subject:
sphærulæ igitur, et calami — “the knobs therefore, and the branches”
• sphærulæ and calami are both nominative plural and form a compound subject.

Prepositional phrase of origin:
ex ipso — “from it,” i.e., from the central shaft of the lampstand.

Main verb:
erant — “were,” describing their being derived from the same piece.

Predicate phrase:
universa ductilia — “all hammered work,” summarizing the whole as beaten metalwork.

Ablative of material:
ex auro purissimo — “from the most pure gold,” specifying the quality of the material.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links this statement to the previous description; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordinating connector introducing an additional detail.
  2. sphærulæ — Lemma: sphærula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine; Function: subject; Translation: knobs; Notes: denotes the small rounded ornaments on the lampstand.
  3. igitur — Lemma: igitur; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: marks logical consequence or summary; Translation: therefore; Notes: links back, drawing a conclusion about the construction.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates calami with sphærulæ; Translation: and; Notes: adds the branches to the subject group.
  5. calami — Lemma: calamus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: coordinated subject; Translation: branches; Notes: refers to the arms of the lampstand extending from the shaft.
  6. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses origin or source; Translation: from; Notes: introduces the source of the branches and knobs.
  7. ipso — Lemma: ipse; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun; Form: ablative singular masculine; Function: object of ex; Translation: from it; Notes: refers back to the central shaft of the candelabrum.
  8. erant — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: were; Notes: imperfect describes a standing state of being made from the same piece.
  9. universa — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: modifies ductilia; Translation: all; Notes: gathers all constituent parts into one totality.
  10. ductilia — Lemma: ductilis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: predicate adjective referring back to the whole work; Translation: hammered work; Notes: indicates that the lampstand and its parts were fashioned by beating the metal.
  11. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces the material; Translation: from; Notes: standard ablative of material construction.
  12. auro — Lemma: aurum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of ex; Translation: gold; Notes: specifies the precious metal used.
  13. purissimo — Lemma: purus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular neuter superlative; Function: modifies auro; Translation: most pure; Notes: superlative form highlighting the exceptional purity of the gold employed in the lampstand.

 

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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