Exodus 39:18

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:18 Hæc et ante et retro ita conveniebant sibi, ut superhumerale et rationale mutuo necterentur,

These things, both in front and behind, fitted together in such a way that the shoulderpiece and the breastpiece were bound to one another,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Hæc these things PRON.NOM.PL.N.DEM
2 et and CONJ
3 ante in front ADV
4 et and CONJ
5 retro behind ADV
6 ita thus ADV
7 conveniebant fitted together 3PL.IMP.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
8 sibi to one another PRON.DAT.PL.REFL
9 ut so that CONJ.SUBORD
10 superhumerale the shoulderpiece NOUN.NOM.SG.N
11 et and CONJ
12 rationale the breastpiece NOUN.NOM.SG.N
13 mutuo mutually ADV
14 necterentur were bound 3PL.IMP.SUBJ.PASS.3RD CONJ

Syntax

The main clause begins with the demonstrative pronoun Hæc (“these things”), which refers to the fastening elements just described.
The sequence et ante et retro provides an adverbial pair: “both in front and behind.”

The verb conveniebant (imperfect, “fitted together”) expresses how these components aligned or matched.
The reflexive dative sibi adds reciprocity—“to one another.”

The subordinate clause ut superhumerale et rationale mutuo necterentur expresses result.
The subjects are superhumerale (“the shoulderpiece”) and rationale (“the breastpiece”), joined by et.

The adverb mutuo (“mutually”) plus the passive imperfect subjunctive necterentur (“were bound, were fastened”) describes the reciprocal fastening of the two sacred garments.

Morphology

  1. Hæc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: Demonstrative pronoun; Form: Nominative plural neuter; Function: Subject; Translation: these things; Notes: Refers to the combined fastening elements (chains, rings, hooks).
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects adverbial expressions; Translation: and; Notes: First of a paired construction.
  3. ante — Lemma: ante; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Indicates spatial position; Translation: in front; Notes: Forms a pair with retro.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Continues paired expression; Translation: and; Notes: Links ante + retro.
  5. retro — Lemma: retro; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Indicates spatial position; Translation: behind; Notes: Completes the spatial pair.
  6. ita — Lemma: ita; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Introduces result clause; Translation: thus; Notes: Signals the coming ut-clause.
  7. conveniebant — Lemma: conveniō; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person plural imperfect active indicative, 4th conjugation; Function: Main verb; Translation: they fitted together; Notes: Describes ongoing structural correspondence.
  8. sibi — Lemma: sui; Part of Speech: Reflexive pronoun; Form: Dative plural; Function: Indicates reciprocal relation; Translation: to one another; Notes: The fastenings corresponded mutually.
  9. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: Subordinating conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Introduces result clause; Translation: so that; Notes: Triggers subjunctive verb.
  10. superhumerale — Lemma: superhumerale; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject of necterentur; Translation: the shoulderpiece; Notes: Technical Vulgate term for the High-Priest’s shoulder garment.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Invariable; Function: Connects superhumerale and rationale; Translation: and; Notes: Standard coordination.
  12. rationale — Lemma: rationale; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Nominative singular neuter; Function: Subject of necterentur; Translation: the breastpiece; Notes: Technical Vulgate noun for the High Priest’s jeweled breastpiece (Hebrew חֹשֶׁן). Not related to the adjective rationalis.
  13. mutuo — Lemma: mutuo; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: Invariable; Function: Modifies necterentur; Translation: mutually; Notes: Expresses reciprocal binding.
  14. necterentur — Lemma: necto; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person plural imperfect passive subjunctive; Function: Verb of result clause; Translation: were bound; Notes: Passive + result construction: “so that they might be mutually bound.”

 

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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