Exodus 39:16

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:16 et duos uncinos, totidemque annulos aureos. Porro annulos posuerunt in utroque latere rationalis,

and two hooks, and likewise just as many golden rings. Moreover, they placed the rings on each side of the breastpiece,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 duos two ADJ.ACC.PL.M
3 uncinos hooks NOUN.ACC.PL.M
4 totidemque and just as many ADJ.INDECL.NUM+ENCL
5 annulos rings NOUN.ACC.PL.M
6 aureos golden ADJ.ACC.PL.M
7 Porro moreover ADV
8 annulos rings NOUN.ACC.PL.M
9 posuerunt they placed 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
10 in on PREP+ABL
11 utroque each ADJ.ABL.SG.M
12 latere side NOUN.ABL.SG.N
13 rationalis of the breastpiece NOUN.GEN.SG.N

Syntax

The coordinated objects duos uncinos and totidemque annulos aureos form the direct objects of the implied plural subject.

Porro annulos posuerunt introduces a second action. posuerunt is the main verb (“they placed”), with annulos as the direct object.

The prepositional phrase in utroque latere rationalis expresses precise placement: “on each side of the breastpiece.” Here rationalis is the genitive singular of the noun rationale (“High Priest’s breastpiece”).

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects coordinated nouns; Translation: and; Notes: Standard coordinating conjunction.
  2. duos — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: Numeral adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies uncinos; Translation: two; Notes: Indicates quantity.
  3. uncinos — Lemma: uncinus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine, second declension; Function: Direct object; Translation: hooks; Notes: Likely fastening hooks for the breastpiece.
  4. totidemque — Lemma: totidem + -que; Part of Speech: Indeclinable numeral with enclitic; Form: Invariable; Function: Modifies annulos; Translation: and just as many; Notes: Indicates numerical correspondence.
  5. annulos — Lemma: annulus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Direct object; Translation: rings; Notes: Refers to metal rings attached to the priestly vestment.
  6. aureos — Lemma: aureus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies annulos; Translation: golden; Notes: Indicates material.
  7. Porro — Lemma: porro; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Introduces an additional narrative action; Translation: moreover; Notes: Marks sequence.
  8. annulos — Lemma: annulus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Direct object of posuerunt; Translation: rings; Notes: The rings being positioned.
  9. posuerunt — Lemma: pono; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person plural perfect active indicative; Function: Main verb; Translation: they placed; Notes: Indicates completed action of placement.
  10. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: Preposition; Form: Governing ablative; Function: Introduces location; Translation: on; Notes: Here spatial placement on the vestment.
  11. utroque — Lemma: uterque; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Ablative singular masculine; Function: Modifies latere; Translation: each; Notes: Means “each of two,” referring to right and left sides.
  12. latere — Lemma: latus; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter; Function: Object of in; Translation: side; Notes: Refers to the physical sides of the breastpiece.
  13. rationalis — Lemma: rationale; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive singular neuter; Function: Dependent genitive modifying latere; Translation: of the breastpiece; Notes: IMPORTANT: Although identical in form to the adjective rationalis (“rational”), here it is the genitive singular of the noun rationale, the technical Vulgate term for the High Priest’s jeweled breastpiece (Hebrew חֹשֶׁן). Never translated “rational” in this context.

 

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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