Exodus 40:11

Posted on March 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 40:11 labrum cum basi sua: omnia unctionis oleo consecrabis, ut sint Sancta sanctorum.

the basin with its base; you shall consecrate all with the anointing oil, so that they may be most holy.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 labrum basin ACC.SG.N.2ND.DECL
2 cum with PREP+ABL
3 basi base ABL.SG.F.3RD.DECL
4 sua its ABL.SG.F.POSS
5 omnia all things ACC.PL.N.ADJ/PRON
6 unctionis of anointing GEN.SG.F.3RD.DECL
7 oleo with oil ABL.SG.N.2ND.DECL
8 consecrabis you shall consecrate 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
9 ut so that CONJ.SUBORD
10 sint they may be 3PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
11 Sancta holy NOM.PL.N.POS
12 sanctorum of holies GEN.PL.N.2ND.DECL

Syntax

Noun Phrase:
• labrum cum basi sua — basin with its stand; a direct object carried forward by the previous command (implied consecrabis)

Main Clause:
• omnia … consecrabis — “you shall consecrate all (things)”
• unctionis oleo — ablative of instrument, “with the anointing oil”

Final Clause:
• ut sint Sancta sanctorum — expresses purpose (“so that they may be most holy”)
• Sancta sanctorum is a superlative liturgical expression meaning “most holy things.”

Morphology

  1. labrum — Lemma: labrum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: direct object (verb implied); Translation: basin; Notes: refers to the laver used for priestly washing.
  2. cum — Lemma: cum; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates accompaniment; Translation: with; Notes: joins the laver and its base.
  3. basi — Lemma: basis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: object of cum; Translation: base; Notes: the stand on which the laver rests.
  4. sua — Lemma: suus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies basi; Translation: its; Notes: reflexive possession referring to labrum.
  5. omnia — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/pronoun; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: direct object of consecrabis; Translation: all things; Notes: includes all tabernacle items.
  6. unctionis — Lemma: unctio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: modifies oleo; Translation: of anointing; Notes: specifies the holy consecration oil.
  7. oleo — Lemma: oleum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: ablative of instrument; Translation: with oil; Notes: indicates the means of consecration.
  8. consecrabis — Lemma: consecro; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: you shall consecrate; Notes: future indicative gives imperative force.
  9. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces purpose clause; Translation: so that; Notes: expresses intended outcome of consecration.
  10. sint — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of final clause; Translation: they may be; Notes: subjunctive of purpose.
  11. Sancta — Lemma: sanctus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: predicate nominative; Translation: holy; Notes: used as a substantive “holy things.”
  12. sanctorum — Lemma: sanctum; Part of Speech: noun/adjective; Form: genitive plural neuter 2nd declension; Function: genitive of superlative expression; Translation: of holies; Notes: forms the idiom “Sancta sanctorum,” meaning “most holy.”

 

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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