Exodus 4:17

Posted on February 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 4:17 Virgam quoque hanc sume in manu tua, in qua facturus es signa.

And take also this rod in your hand, with which you will perform the signs.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Virgam rod ACC.SG.F
2 quoque also ADV
3 hanc this ACC.SG.F
4 sume take 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
5 in in PREP+ABL
6 manu hand ABL.SG.F
7 tua your ABL.SG.F
8 in in PREP+ABL
9 qua with which ABL.SG.F
10 fakturus about to do NOM.SG.M.FUT.ACT.PPL
11 es you are 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
12 signa signs ACC.PL.N

Syntax

Main clause: Virgam hanc sume — direct command; Virgam hanc is the direct object, sume the imperative verb.
Locative phrase: in manu tua — describes where the rod is to be held.
Relative clause: in qua facturus es signa — modifies virgam; identifies the rod as the instrument by which Moses will perform signs.
Verb phrase inside relative clause: facturus es — periphrastic future; expresses future intention or destined action.

Morphology

  1. Virgam — Lemma: virga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of sume; Translation: rod; Notes: refers to Moses’ staff, later used in miracles.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds emphasis (“also”); Translation: also; Notes: highlights addition to previous instructions.
  3. hanc — Lemma: hic; Part of Speech: demonstrative pronoun/adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies virgam; Translation: this; Notes: deictic reference to a specific rod.
  4. sume — Lemma: sumo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present active imperative; Function: main verb of command; Translation: take; Notes: strong imperative from God to Moses.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates location; Translation: in; Notes: static position.
  6. manu — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: hand; Notes: ablative of location.
  7. tua — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies manu; Translation: your; Notes: indicates Moses’ own hand.
  8. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces the relative clause’s ablative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: refers back to the rod as the instrument.
  9. qua — Lemma: qui; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative of instrument referring to virgam; Translation: with which; Notes: introduces the clause describing the rod’s role.
  10. facturus — Lemma: facio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: nominative singular masculine future active participle; Function: predicate element with es forming periphrastic future; Translation: about to do; Notes: expresses destined future action.
  11. es — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: second person singular present indicative active; Function: auxiliary verb in periphrastic future; Translation: you are; Notes: forms “you will do” together with facturus.
  12. signa — Lemma: signum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of the periphrastic construction; Translation: signs; Notes: refers to miracles that authenticate Moses’ mission.

 

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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