Exodus 4:2

Posted on February 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 4:2 Dixit ergo ad eum: Quid est quod tenes in manu tua? Respondit: Virga.

And he said to him: “What is this that you hold in your hand?” He answered: “A rod.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 ergo therefore ADV
3 ad to PREP+ACC
4 eum him ACC.SG.M.PRON
5 Quid what NOM/ACC.SG.N.INTERROG
6 est is 3SG.PRES.ACT.IND
7 quod that which NOM/ACC.SG.N.REL
8 tenes you hold 2SG.PRES.ACT.IND
9 in in PREP+ABL
10 manu hand ABL.SG.F
11 tua your ABL.SG.F.ADJ
12 Respondit he answered 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
13 Virga rod NOM.SG.F

Syntax

Narrative Introduction:
Dixit ergo ad eum — “And he said to him.”
• Dixit = main verb.
• ad eum = indirect object expressed with preposition + accusative.

Direct Question:
Quid est quod tenes in manu tua?
• Quid = interrogative pronoun functioning as predicate nominal.
• quod tenes = relative clause explaining quid.
• in manu tua = ablative of location (“in your hand”).

Reply:
Respondit: Virga. — “He answered: A rod.”
• Virga stands alone as a nominative predicate to the implied question.

Morphology

  1. Dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: narrative verb introducing speech; Translation: “said”; Notes: Perfect used frequently in biblical narrative for completed speech acts.
  2. ergo — Lemma: ergo; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: logical connector; Translation: “therefore”; Notes: Indicates consequential progression in dialogue.
  3. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces indirect object; Translation: “to”; Notes: Often used with verbs of speaking.
  4. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: “him”; Notes: Refers to Moses.
  5. Quid — Lemma: quis/quid; Part of Speech: interrogative pronoun; Form: neuter singular; Function: interrogative subject/predicate; Translation: “what”; Notes: Neuter form used for non-personal entities.
  6. est — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular present indicative; Function: copula; Translation: “is”; Notes: Links quid with the relative clause describing it.
  7. quod — Lemma: qui/quae/quod; Part of Speech: relative pronoun; Form: neuter singular; Function: introduces relative clause; Translation: “that which”; Notes: Neuter form matches quid.
  8. tenes — Lemma: teneo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd singular present active indicative; Function: verb of the relative clause; Translation: “you hold”; Notes: Expresses current physical possession.
  9. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses location; Translation: “in”; Notes: Standard locative use with ablative.
  10. manu — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: “hand”; Notes: Ablative of location.
  11. tua — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies manu; Translation: “your”; Notes: Matches the noun in gender, number, and case.
  12. Respondit — Lemma: respondeo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd singular perfect active indicative; Function: introduces reply; Translation: “he answered”; Notes: Perfect tense marks completed verbal reply.
  13. Virga — Lemma: virga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: predicate answer; Translation: “rod”; Notes: Simple nominal answer identifying the object held.

 

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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