Exodus 39:6

Posted on March 30, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 39:6 Paravit et duos lapides onychinos, astrictos et inclusos auro, et sculptos arte gemmaria, nominibus filiorum Israel:

And he prepared two onyx stones, bound and set in gold, and engraved with gem-cutting skill with the names of the sons of Israel;

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Paravit he prepared 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND.1ST CONJ
2 et and CONJ
3 duos two ADJ.ACC.PL.M
4 lapides stones NOUN.ACC.PL.M
5 onychinos onyx ADJ.ACC.PL.M
6 astrictos bound PTCP.PERF.PASS.ACC.PL.M
7 et and CONJ
8 inclusos set PTCP.PERF.PASS.ACC.PL.M
9 auro in gold NOUN.ABL.SG.N
10 et and CONJ
11 sculptos engraved PTCP.PERF.PASS.ACC.PL.M
12 arte by skill NOUN.ABL.SG.F
13 gemmaria of gem-cutting ADJ.ABL.SG.F
14 nominibus with the names NOUN.ABL.PL.N
15 filiorum of the sons NOUN.GEN.PL.M
16 Israel Israel NOUN.GEN.SG.INDECL

Syntax

The main clause begins with Paravit et duos lapides onychinos, where Paravit is the perfect indicative verb, and the object phrase duos lapides onychinos specifies the prepared items (two onyx stones).

A sequence of perfect passive participles—astrictos, inclusos, sculptos—functions attributively, further describing the stones: they were “bound,” “set,” and “engraved.”

The ablative auro is an ablative of instrument or material, indicating the medium into which the stones were set.

The ablative phrase arte gemmaria expresses the means or manner: “by gem-cutting skill.”

The final ablative phrase nominibus filiorum Israel specifies what was engraved: the names of the sons of Israel.

Morphology

  1. Paravit — Lemma: paro; Part of Speech: Verb; Form: Third person singular perfect active indicative, first conjugation; Function: Main verb; Translation: he prepared; Notes: Describes a completed action in the construction of sacred vestments.
  2. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connective; Translation: and; Notes: Adds another crafted item to the preceding list.
  3. duos — Lemma: duo; Part of Speech: Numeral adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine; Function: Modifies lapides; Translation: two; Notes: Specifies the number of stones.
  4. lapides — Lemma: lapis; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Accusative plural masculine, third declension; Function: Direct object; Translation: stones; Notes: Refers to two onyx stones used on the ephod’s shoulder pieces.
  5. onychinos — Lemma: onychinus; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Accusative plural masculine, first/second declension; Function: Modifies lapides; Translation: onyx; Notes: Specifies the type of stone.
  6. astrictos — Lemma: astrictus; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Perfect passive participle, accusative plural masculine; Function: Describes the condition of the stones; Translation: bound; Notes: Refers to stones secured in their mounting.
  7. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects participles; Translation: and; Notes: Links descriptive participles modifying the stones.
  8. inclusos — Lemma: includo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Perfect passive participle, accusative plural masculine; Function: Describes the stones; Translation: set; Notes: Indicates they were set into gold.
  9. auro — Lemma: aurum; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular neuter, second declension; Function: Ablative of material; Translation: in gold; Notes: Denotes the setting for the stones.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: Conjunction; Form: Coordinating; Function: Connects participles; Translation: and; Notes: Continues the chain of descriptive modifiers.
  11. sculptos — Lemma: sculpo; Part of Speech: Participle; Form: Perfect passive participle, accusative plural masculine, third conjugation; Function: Further modifies lapides; Translation: engraved; Notes: Refers to decorative inscription work.
  12. arte — Lemma: ars; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative singular feminine, third declension; Function: Ablative of means; Translation: by skill; Notes: Denotes craftsmanship.
  13. gemmaria — Lemma: gemmarius; Part of Speech: Adjective; Form: Ablative singular feminine; Function: Modifies arte; Translation: of gem-cutting; Notes: Identifies the type of artisan skill.
  14. nominibus — Lemma: nomen; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Ablative plural neuter, third declension; Function: Ablative of respect/content; Translation: with the names; Notes: Refers to what was engraved on the stones.
  15. filiorum — Lemma: filius; Part of Speech: Noun; Form: Genitive plural masculine, second declension; Function: Possessive genitive modifying nominibus; Translation: of the sons; Notes: Refers to the tribes of Israel.
  16. Israel — Lemma: Israel; Part of Speech: Proper noun; Form: Genitive singular, indeclinable; Function: Modifies filiorum; Translation: Israel; Notes: As a proper name it remains indeclinable while functioning syntactically as genitive.

 

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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