Exodus 40:2

Posted on March 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

2 Mense primo, prima die mensis, eriges tabernaculum testimonii,

In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall set up the tabernacle of the testimony,

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Mense in the month ABL.SG.M.3RD.DECL
2 primo first ABL.SG.M.POS
3 prima first NOM.SG.F.POS
4 die day ABL.SG.F.5TH.DECL
5 mensis of the month GEN.SG.M.3RD.DECL
6 eriges you shall set up 2SG.FUT.ACT.IND
7 tabernaculum tabernacle ACC.SG.N.2ND.DECL
8 testimonii of the testimony GEN.SG.N.2ND.DECL

Syntax

Temporal Phrase: Mense primo — ablative of time when
Further Specification: prima die mensis — ablative phrase specifying the exact day
Main Clause: eriges (Verb, future indicative second person singular) + tabernaculum (Direct Object)
Genitive Modifier: testimonii — limits *tabernaculum* (“tabernacle of the testimony”)

Morphology

  1. Mense — Lemma: mensis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular masculine 3rd declension; Function: ablative of time when; Translation: in the month; Notes: common Latin construction for specifying a point in time.
  2. primo — Lemma: primus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular masculine positive degree; Function: modifies *mense*; Translation: first; Notes: agrees with *mense* in case, number, and gender.
  3. prima — Lemma: primus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: nominative singular feminine positive degree; Function: modifies *die*; Translation: first; Notes: here “the first day” forms a temporal marker.
  4. die — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine 5th declension; Function: ablative of time; Translation: day; Notes: ablative expresses the time at which something occurs.
  5. mensis — Lemma: mensis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine 3rd declension; Function: genitive of specification; Translation: of the month; Notes: specifies the cycle within which the day falls.
  6. eriges — Lemma: erigo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular future active indicative; Function: main verb of command/prediction; Translation: you shall set up; Notes: gives the directive for constructing the tabernacle.
  7. tabernaculum — Lemma: tabernaculum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: direct object of *eriges*; Translation: tabernacle; Notes: object of the construction order.
  8. testimonii — Lemma: testimonium; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: genitive of description; Translation: of the testimony; Notes: identifies the sacred purpose of the tabernacle.

 

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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