Exodus 39:15

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:15 Fecerunt in rationali et catenulas sibi invicem cohærentes, de auro purissimo:

They also made on the breastpiece little chains, linked to one another, of the purest gold;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Fecerunt they made 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
2 in on / in PREP+ABL
3 rationali the breastpiece NOUN.ABL.SG.N
4 et and CONJ
5 catenulas little chains NOUN.ACC.PL.F
6 sibi to themselves PRON.DAT.SG/PL.REFL
7 invicem one another ADV
8 cohærentes linked PTCP.PRES.ACT.ACC.PL.F
9 de of / from PREP+ABL
10 auro gold NOUN.ABL.SG.N
11 purissimo purest ADJ.ABL.SG.N.SUPER

Syntax

The main clause begins with Fecerunt, a perfect verb with an implied plural subject (“they”), referring to the skilled artisans.

The prepositional phrase in rationali specifies the location where these small chains were made—“on the breastpiece.”

The direct object is catenulas (“little chains”), modified by the participle cohærentes, which describes their interlinked structure.

The reflexive pronoun sibi combined with invicem expresses reciprocal action: “linked to one another.”

The phrase de auro purissimo indicates the material used, with purissimo as a superlative indicating exceptionally pure gold.

Morphology

  1. Fecerunt — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person plural perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: Main verb; Translation: they made; Notes: Refers to the group of craftsmen working on the sacred garments.
  2. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative; Function: Indicates location; Translation: on; Notes: Specifies where the chains were placed.
  3. rationali — Lemma: rationale; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter; Function: Object of in; Translation: the breastpiece; Notes: The priestly breastpiece onto which the chains were attached.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects syntactic elements; Translation: and; Notes: Continues the description of the breastpiece’s construction.
  5. catenulas — Lemma: catenula; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural feminine, first declension; Function: Direct object; Translation: little chains; Notes: Diminutive form indicating small, fine chains.
  6. sibi — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: Reflexive pronoun; Form: Dative singular/plural; Function: Marks reciprocal relationship; Translation: to themselves; Notes: Used with invicem to express mutual linkage.
  7. invicem — Lemma: invicem; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Indicates reciprocity; Translation: one another; Notes: Emphasizes interlinking of chains.
  8. cohærentes — Lemma: cohaereo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Present active participle, accusative plural feminine; Function: Modifies catenulas; Translation: linked; Notes: Describes the interlocking nature of the chains.
  9. de — Lemma: de; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing the ablative; Function: Indicates material; Translation: of; Notes: Introduces the source material.
  10. auro — Lemma: aurum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter, second declension; Function: Ablative of material; Translation: gold; Notes: Indicates the substance from which the chains were made.
  11. purissimo — Lemma: purissimus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Ablative singular neuter, superlative degree; Function: Modifies auro; Translation: purest; Notes: SUPER = superlative; describes exceptionally fine gold.

 

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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