Exodus 39:32

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:32 Et obtulerunt tabernaculum et tectum et universam supellectilem, annulos, tabulas, vectes, columnas ac bases,

And they presented the tabernacle and the tent and all its furnishings, the rings, the boards, the bars, the columns, and the bases,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Et and CONJ
2 obtulerunt they presented 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND.3RD CONJ
3 tabernaculum tabernacle NOUN.ACC.SG.N
4 et and CONJ
5 tectum tent / covering NOUN.ACC.SG.N
6 et and CONJ
7 universam all ADJ.ACC.SG.F
8 supellectilem furnishings NOUN.ACC.SG.F
9 annulos rings NOUN.ACC.PL.M
10 tabulas boards NOUN.ACC.PL.F
11 vectes bars NOUN.ACC.PL.M
12 columnas columns NOUN.ACC.PL.F
13 ac and CONJ
14 bases bases NOUN.ACC.PL.F

Syntax

The sentence begins with Et obtulerunt, whose subject is implied (they, i.e., the sons of Israel).
The verb obtulerunt governs a long coordinated series of direct objects representing the full set of tabernacle components.

The first unit — tabernaculum et tectum — lists the core structures.

A second unit describes the interior inventory: universam supellectilem (“all the furnishings”).

A final sequence of accusatives (annulos, tabulas, vectes, columnas ac bases) enumerates the structural pieces and hardware required for assembly.

The syntax is paratactic and accumulative, typical of Hebrew style rendered in Latin: each item is presented in order without subordination.

Morphology

  1. Et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects this verse to the preceding narrative; Translation: and; Notes: standard connective in Vulgate lists.
  2. obtulerunt — Lemma: offero; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative, third conjugation; Function: main verb; Translation: they presented; Notes: here meaning “to bring forward / present,” not sacrificial offering.
  3. tabernaculum — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: tabernacle; Notes: the central sanctuary tent.
  4. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: links objects; Translation: and; Notes: simple coordination.
  5. tectum — Lemma: tectum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: tent / covering; Notes: refers to the outer coverings specified in Exodus 26.
  6. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: further coordination; Translation: and; Notes: continues list.
  7. universam — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies supellectilem; Translation: all; Notes: intensive form meaning “the whole.”
  8. supellectilem — Lemma: supellex; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object; Translation: furnishings; Notes: refers broadly to interior equipment.
  9. annulos — Lemma: annulus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: item in list; Translation: rings; Notes: rings used for inserting poles and securing curtains.
  10. tabulas — Lemma: tabula; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: item in list; Translation: boards; Notes: structural boards forming the frames.
  11. vectes — Lemma: vectis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: item in list; Translation: bars; Notes: poles used to stabilize the frames.
  12. columnas — Lemma: columna; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: item in list; Translation: columns; Notes: upright supports of the sacred structure.
  13. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: tighter connective than et; Translation: and; Notes: used before the final element.
  14. bases — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: final item in list; Translation: bases; Notes: sockets into which the boards and columns were set.

 

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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