Exodus 39:41

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:41 Vestes quoque, quibus sacerdotes utuntur in Sanctuario, Aaron scilicet et filii eius,

Also the garments which the priests use in the Sanctuary, namely Aaron and his sons,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Vestes garments NOUN.NOM.PL.F
2 quoque also ADV
3 quibus which PRON.ABL.PL.F.REL
4 sacerdotes priests NOUN.NOM.PL.M
5 utuntur use 3PL.PRES.DEP.IND
6 in in PREP+ABL
7 Sanctuario the Sanctuary NOUN.ABL.SG.N
8 Aaron Aaron NOUN.NOM.SG.M.INDECL
9 scilicet namely ADV
10 et and CONJ
11 filii sons NOUN.NOM.PL.M
12 eius his PRON.GEN.SG.M

Syntax

The nominative plural Vestes is the subject of an implied verb (continued from previous inventory clauses), introducing yet another class of items presented for the tabernacle.

The relative clause quibus sacerdotes utuntur in Sanctuario modifies Vestes:

  • quibus — ablative of instrument with a deponent verb,
  • sacerdotes — subject of the clause,
  • utuntur — a deponent verb meaning “to use,” always governing the ablative,
  • in Sanctuario — locative phrase specifying where the garments are used.

The apposition Aaron scilicet et filii eius clarifies which priests are meant: Aaron and his sons.

Morphology

  1. Vestes — Lemma: vestis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural feminine, third declension; Function: subject; Translation: garments; Notes: priestly vestments specified earlier in the chapter.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: adds the items to the continuing list; Translation: also; Notes: indicates augmentation.
  3. quibus — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative plural feminine; Function: ablative of instrument with utuntur; Translation: which; Notes: introduces relative clause.
  4. sacerdotes — Lemma: sacerdos; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of the relative clause; Translation: priests; Notes: refers specifically to Aaronic priesthood.
  5. utuntur — Lemma: utor; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: third person plural present indicative; Function: verb of relative clause; Translation: use; Notes: deponent governing ablative, hence quibus.
  6. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: locative; Translation: in; Notes: introduces location of priestly service.
  7. Sanctuario — Lemma: sanctuarium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: the Sanctuary; Notes: refers to the sacred interior space.
  8. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: nominative singular (indeclinable); Function: appositional specification; Translation: Aaron; Notes: identifies the High Priest.
  9. scilicet — Lemma: scilicet; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: invariable; Function: explanatory; Translation: namely; Notes: clarifies referent of “priests.”
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: invariable; Function: connects appositional nouns; Translation: and; Notes: simple connective.
  11. filii — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: coordinate noun in apposition; Translation: sons; Notes: refers to Aaron’s sons who serve as priests.
  12. eius — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive singular masculine; Function: modifies filii; Translation: his; Notes: denotes relationship to Aaron.

 

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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