Exodus 4:24

Posted on February 23, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 4:24 Cumque esset in itinere, in diversorio occurrit ei Dominus, et volebat occidere eum.

And when he was on the journey, at the lodging place the LORD met him, and He wanted to kill him.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Cumque and when CONJ
2 esset he was 3SG.IMPERF.SUBJ.ACT
3 in in PREP+ABL
4 itinere journey ABL.SG.N
5 in in PREP+ABL
6 diversorio lodging place ABL.SG.N
7 occurrit met 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
8 ei him DAT.SG.M
9 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
10 et and CONJ
11 volebat was wanting 3SG.IMPERF.ACT.IND
12 occidere to kill PRES.ACT.INF
13 eum him ACC.SG.M

Syntax

Temporal clause: Cumque esset in itinere — subjunctive esset marks narrative background.
Locative phrase: in diversorio gives the specific place where the event occurred.
Main clause: occurrit ei Dominus — subject Dominus, verb occurrit, indirect object ei.
Coordinated action: et volebat occidere eum — imperfect volebat + infinitive occidere expresses intent to kill.
Implicit causality: sequencing suggests a divine confrontation with unexplained motive.

Morphology

  1. Cumque — Lemma: cum + que; Part of Speech: conjunction with enclitic; Form: subordinating temporal conjunction; Function: introduces temporal clause; Translation: and when; Notes: que adds linkage to preceding narrative.
  2. esset — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect subjunctive active; Function: verb of temporal clause; Translation: he was; Notes: subjunctive required after temporal cum in narrative.
  3. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces location; Translation: in; Notes: standard locative usage.
  4. itinere — Lemma: iter; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: journey; Notes: ablative of place.
  5. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces additional location; Translation: in; Notes: indicates place within the journey context.
  6. diversorio — Lemma: diversorium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: lodging place; Notes: suggests a roadside shelter.
  7. occurrit — Lemma: occurro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: met; Notes: perfect depicts sudden divine encounter.
  8. ei — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: him; Notes: refers to Moses.
  9. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of occurrit; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: coordinating; Function: links clauses; Translation: and; Notes: connects divine action with divine intent.
  11. volebat — Lemma: volo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: expresses ongoing intent; Translation: he was wanting; Notes: imperfect shows continued action.
  12. occidere — Lemma: occido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: present active infinitive; Function: complementary infinitive to volebat; Translation: to kill; Notes: expresses intended result.
  13. eum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of occidere; Translation: him; Notes: traditionally interpreted as Moses, though context later suggests his son.

 

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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