Exodus 39:1

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:1 De hyacintho vero et purpura, vermiculo ac bysso fecit vestes, quibus indueretur Aaron quando ministrabat in sanctis, sicut præcepit Dominus Moysi.

From hyacinth and purple, scarlet and fine linen he made the garments with which Aaron was clothed when he ministered in the holy things, as the LORD commanded Moyses.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 De from PREP+ABL
2 hyacintho hyacinth (blue cloth) NOUN.ABL.SG.M
3 vero indeed ADV
4 et and CONJ
5 purpura purple NOUN.ABL.SG.F
6 vermiculo scarlet thread NOUN.ABL.SG.M
7 ac and CONJ
8 bysso fine linen NOUN.ABL.SG.F
9 fecit made 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
10 vestes garments NOUN.ACC.PL.F
11 quibus with which REL.ABL.PL.F
12 indueretur might be clothed 3SG.IMP.PASS.SUBJ.3RD CONJ
13 Aaron Aaron NOUN.NOM.SG.M
14 quando when CONJ
15 ministrabat was ministering 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND.1ST CONJ
16 in in PREP+ABL
17 sanctis holy things ADJ.ABL.PL.N
18 sicut just as CONJ
19 præcepit commanded 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
20 Dominus the LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
21 Moysi to Moses NOUN.DAT.SG.M

Syntax

The opening prepositional phrase De hyacintho vero et purpura, vermiculo ac bysso expresses the
material out of which the garments are made, with De governing a series of ablatives
(hyacintho, purpura, vermiculo, bysso).

The main clause is implied as: (ille) fecit vestes, where the subject is understood
from context, the verb is fecit and the direct object is vestes. The verb is perfect, describing a
completed cultic action of making the garments.

The relative clause quibus indueretur Aaron modifies vestes. The relative pronoun quibus (ablative
plural) expresses the instrument (“with which”), the verb indueretur (imperfect subjunctive)
forms a relative clause of characteristic or purpose, and Aaron is the grammatical subject,
indicating that these garments are precisely those with which Aaron was clothed.

The temporal clause quando ministrabat in sanctis describes the occasion of Aaron’s being clothed:
quando introduces the clause, ministrabat is the imperfect main verb (“he was ministering”), and
in sanctis is a prepositional phrase expressing the sphere or location of his ministry,
“in the holy things / in the holy place”.

The comparative clause sicut præcepit Dominus Moysi gives the normative standard of this whole
arrangement. The conjunction sicut introduces the comparison, præcepit is the perfect verb (“commanded”),
Dominus is the subject (“the LORD”), and Moysi is the indirect object (“to Moses”), indicating that the
making and use of the garments conform exactly to the divine command.

Morphology

  1. De — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative case; Function: Introduces an ablative of material; Translation: from; Notes: Links the materials that follow to the act of making the garments.
  2. hyacintho — Lemma: hyacinthus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Ablative of material governed by De; Translation: hyacinth (blue cloth); Notes: Refers to blue-dyed fabric used in priestly garments, not merely the flower.
  3. vero — Lemma: vero; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable adverb; Function: Adds emphasis or mild contrast (“indeed”); Translation: indeed; Notes: Nuances the list, underscoring the quality and variety of the materials.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating conjunction; Function: Joins hyacintho and purpura in the list; Translation: and; Notes: Simple additive connector within the series of materials.
  5. purpura — Lemma: purpura; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine, first declension; Function: Ablative of material governed by De; Translation: purple; Notes: Denotes expensive purple-dyed fabric associated with dignity and honor.
  6. vermiculo — Lemma: vermiculus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Ablative of material in the same series; Translation: scarlet thread; Notes: Literally “little worm,” referring to the insect-derived scarlet dye used in sacred textiles.
  7. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating conjunction; Function: Connects vermiculo and bysso; Translation: and; Notes: Slightly more emphatic connective than et, rounding off the list of materials.
  8. bysso — Lemma: byssus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine (treated as feminine), second declension; Function: Ablative of material governed by De; Translation: fine linen; Notes: Designates high-quality linen, a hallmark of priestly attire in the cultic tradition.
  9. fecit — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: Main verb of the sentence, expressing the completed act of making; Translation: made; Notes: Perfect tense situates the making of the garments as a finished historical action.
  10. vestes — Lemma: vestis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine, third declension; Function: Direct object of fecit; Translation: garments; Notes: Refers specifically to the sacred vestments prepared for priestly service.
  11. quibus — Lemma: qui, quae, quod; Part of Speech: Relative pronoun; Form: Ablative plural feminine, agreeing with vestes; Function: Introduces a relative clause and expresses an ablative of instrument (“with which”); Translation: with which; Notes: Links the garments to Aaron’s being clothed, showing their instrumental role in his ministry.
  12. indueretur — Lemma: induo; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular imperfect passive subjunctive, third conjugation; Function: Verb of the relative clause, describing Aaron’s being clothed; Translation: might be clothed; Notes: The imperfect subjunctive fits a relative clause of characteristic or purpose, portraying the garments as those suited to Aaron’s ongoing cultic clothing.
  13. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Nominative singular masculine, indeclinable in form but functioning as nominative; Function: Subject of indueretur; Translation: Aaron; Notes: High priest of Yisraʾel, the one for whom these vestments were specifically fashioned.
  14. quando — Lemma: quando; Part of Speech: Conjunction (temporal); Form: Invariable subordinating conjunction; Function: Introduces the temporal clause; Translation: when; Notes: Marks the time at which Aaron was clothed, tying his vesting directly to active ministry.
  15. ministrabat — Lemma: ministro; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular imperfect active indicative, first conjugation; Function: Main verb of the temporal clause; Translation: was ministering; Notes: Imperfect aspect highlights ongoing or repeated priestly service in the sacred sphere.
  16. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative case here; Function: Introduces a prepositional phrase of location or sphere; Translation: in; Notes: With the ablative, indicates being within a place or sphere, here the domain of holy things.
  17. sanctis — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: Adjective used substantively; Form: Ablative plural neuter, first/second declension; Function: Object of the preposition in, functioning as “in the holy things / in the holy place”; Translation: holy things; Notes: The neuter plural substantive underscores the sacred context of Aaron’s ministry.
  18. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable comparative conjunction; Function: Introduces a comparative or conformative clause; Translation: just as; Notes: Signals that the preceding description matches precisely the divine command that follows.
  19. præcepit — Lemma: praecipio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: Main verb of the comparative clause; Translation: commanded; Notes: Perfect tense presents the LORD’s command to Moses as a completed foundational act governing cultic practice.
  20. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: Noun (title); Form: Nominative singular masculine, second declension; Function: Subject of præcepit; Translation: LORD; Notes: In this context the title refers to YHWH, so the English rendering is “LORD” in small caps style rather than “Lord.”
  21. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Dative singular masculine, third declension; Function: Indirect object of præcepit, the recipient of the command; Translation: to Moses; Notes: Identifies Moses as the mediator of the divine instructions concerning priestly garments and service.

 

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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