Exodus 39:30

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:30 et strinxerunt eam cum mitra vitta hyacinthina, sicut præceperat Dominus Moysi.

and they fastened it to the mitre with a violet cord, just as the LORD had commanded Moyses.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 et and CONJ
2 strinxerunt they fastened 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
3 eam it PRON.ACC.SG.F
4 cum with PREP+ABL
5 mitra mitre NOUN.ABL.SG.F
6 vitta with a cord NOUN.ABL.SG.F
7 hyacinthina violet ADJ.ABL.SG.F
8 sicut just as CONJ
9 præceperat had commanded 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND.1ST CONJ
10 Dominus the LORD NOUN.NOM.SG.M
11 Moysi to Moses NOUN.DAT.SG.M

Syntax

The clause begins with the coordinating conjunction et, linking this fastening action to the previous construction sequence.

The verb strinxerunt (“they fastened”) governs the direct object eam, referring to the golden plate (lamina) mentioned immediately before this verse.

The prepositional phrase cum mitra expresses accompaniment or attachment: the plate is fastened “with the mitre.”

The ablative phrase vitta hyacinthina indicates the instrument — “with a violet cord.”

The subordinating clause sicut præceperat Dominus Moysi confirms compliance with the divine command given to Moses.

Morphology

  1. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links actions; Translation: and; Notes: joins this construction step to the previous one.
  2. strinxerunt — Lemma: stringo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: main verb; Translation: they fastened; Notes: literally “they bound tightly,” fitting the attachment of the gold plate.
  3. eam — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: it; Notes: refers to the golden plate (lamina).
  4. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative case; Function: marks accompaniment; Translation: with; Notes: expresses the object in association with the plate.
  5. mitra — Lemma: mitra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of cum; Translation: mitre; Notes: the priestly headpiece prescribed in Exodus 28.
  6. vitta — Lemma: vitta; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of instrument; Translation: with a cord; Notes: denotes the fastening tie securing the plate to the mitre.
  7. hyacinthina — Lemma: hyacinthinus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies vitta; Translation: violet; Notes: refers to the sacred blue-violet dye used throughout priestly garments.
  8. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: introduces comparison clause; Translation: just as; Notes: formulaic link to divine command.
  9. præceperat — Lemma: praecipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular pluperfect active indicative, first conjugation; Function: verb of subordinate clause; Translation: had commanded; Notes: indicates prior divine instruction already issued.
  10. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of præceperat; Translation: the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH; translated as “LORD” per project rules.
  11. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to Moses; Notes: recipient of the divine instruction.

 

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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