Exodus 39:37

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:37 altare aureum, et unguentum, et thymiama ex aromatibus:

the golden altar, and the ointment, and the incense made from aromatics;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 altare altar NOUN.ACC.SG.N
2 aureum golden ADJ.ACC.SG.N
3 et and CONJ
4 unguentum ointment NOUN.ACC.SG.N
5 et and CONJ
6 thymiama incense NOUN.ACC.SG.N
7 ex from / out of PREP+ABL
8 aromatibus aromatics / spices NOUN.ABL.PL.N

Syntax

The objects listed continue the inventory of sacred items presented for the tabernacle.
All accusatives — altare aureum, unguentum, and thymiama — serve as direct objects of the previously stated verb obtulerunt (“they presented”).

The phrase ex aromatibus is an ablative of material, specifying that the incense is produced “from aromatics,” i.e., a mixture of fragrant spices prescribed in Exodus 30.

The list reflects ascending ritual value:

  • altare aureum — the golden altar of incense,
  • unguentum — the sacred anointing oil,
  • thymiama ex aromatibus — the holy incense mixture.

Morphology

  1. altare — Lemma: altare; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, third declension; Function: direct object; Translation: altar; Notes: refers to the golden incense altar.
  2. aureum — Lemma: aureus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: modifies altare; Translation: golden; Notes: indicates material plating.
  3. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: coordinates list items; Translation: and; Notes: simple connector.
  4. unguentum — Lemma: unguentum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter, second declension; Function: direct object; Translation: ointment; Notes: refers to the sacred anointing oil.
  5. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: continues the series; Translation: and; Notes: joins the final object.
  6. thymiama — Lemma: thymiama; Part of Speech: noun (borrowed from Greek θυμίαμα); Form: accusative singular neuter; Function: direct object; Translation: incense; Notes: a Greek loanword used specifically of sacred incense mixtures.
  7. ex — Lemma: ex; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: ablative of material; Translation: from; Notes: indicates the ingredients used to produce the incense.
  8. aromatibus — Lemma: aroma (pl. aromata/aromata → Vulgate aromata/aromata, aromatibus in ablative); Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter, third declension; Function: object of ex; Translation: aromatics / spices; Notes: origin in Greek ἄρωμα; used of the sacred incense components prescribed by YHWH.

 

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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