Exodus 39:34

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:34 velum: arcam, vectes, propitiatorium,

the veil, the ark, the bars, the propitiatory,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 velum veil NOUN.ACC.SG.N
2 arcam ark NOUN.ACC.SG.F
3 vectes bars NOUN.ACC.PL.M
4 propitiatorium propitiatory / mercy seat NOUN.ACC.SG.N

Syntax

This segment continues the long accusative list of items presented for the tabernacle.
Each word stands in the same syntactic relationship: a simple direct object of the earlier verb obtulerunt (“they presented”).

The items listed move inward in ritual significance:

  • velum — the inner veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies,
  • arcam — the ark itself,
  • vectes — the carrying bars for the ark,
  • propitiatorium — the golden cover of the ark, also called the “mercy seat.”

No conjunctions appear in this segment; the items are presented as a rapid inventory without connective particles, a common Vulgate listing style.

Morphology

  1. velum — Lemma: velum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, second declension; Function: direct object in list; Translation: veil; Notes: refers to the inner curtain separating sacred spaces.
  2. arcam — Lemma: arca; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine, first declension; Function: direct object; Translation: ark; Notes: the Ark of the Covenant itself.
  3. vectes — Lemma: vectis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine, third declension; Function: direct object; Translation: bars; Notes: the carrying poles inserted through the rings of the ark.
  4. propitiatorium — Lemma: propitiatorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, second declension; Function: direct object; Translation: propitiatory / mercy seat; Notes: the golden cover of the ark, where atonement rituals are symbolically focused.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Exodus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.