Exodus 39:20

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:20 Feceruntque quoque tunicam superhumeralis totam hyacinthinam,

And they also made the tunic of the shoulderpiece entirely of violet cloth,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Feceruntque and they made 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ+ENCL
2 quoque also ADV
3 tunicam tunic NOUN.ACC.SG.F
4 superhumeralis of the shoulderpiece NOUN.GEN.SG.N
5 totam entire ADJ.ACC.SG.F
6 hyacinthinam violet ADJ.ACC.SG.F

Syntax

The main verb Feceruntque (“and they made”) has an implied plural subject (“they”), referring to the craftsmen. The adverb quoque (“also”) links this action with the preceding sequence. The direct object is tunicam, further specified by the genitive superhumeralis as “the tunic of the shoulderpiece,” and by the adjectives totam hyacinthinam, indicating that it was “entirely violet.”

Morphology

  1. Feceruntque — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: Verb with enclitic; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative, third conjugation, with enclitic -que; Function: main verb of the clause; Translation: and they made; Notes: the enclitic -que connects this action to the preceding description of the vestments.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: Adverb; Form: invariable; Function: adds inclusiveness to the statement; Translation: also; Notes: emphasizes that this tunic is an additional item in the priestly garments.
  3. tunicam — Lemma: tunica; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, first declension; Function: direct object of Feceruntque; Translation: tunic; Notes: the garment being fashioned, associated specifically with the priestly shoulderpiece.
  4. superhumeralis — Lemma: superhumerale; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: genitive singular neuter, second declension; Function: dependent genitive modifying tunicam; Translation: of the shoulderpiece; Notes: technical Vulgate noun for the High Priest’s shoulder garment (superhumerale), not an adjective; indicates that this is the tunic belonging to or worn with that shoulderpiece.
  5. totam — Lemma: totus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine, pronominal adjective; Function: attributive modifier of tunicam; Translation: entire; Notes: stresses that the tunic was wholly of one material/color, not partially.
  6. hyacinthinam — Lemma: hyacinthinus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: attributive modifier of tunicam; Translation: violet; Notes: denotes the characteristic sacred “hyacinth-blue” or violet color used throughout the priestly vestments.

 

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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