Exodus 40:21

Posted on March 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 40:21 ordinatis coram propositionis panibus, sicut præceperat Dominus Moysi.

having arranged the bread of the offering before it, just as the LORD had commanded Moyses.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 ordinatis with … arranged PTCP.PERF.PASS.ABL.PL.M/N
2 coram before PREP+ABL
3 propositionis of the offering GEN.SG.F.3RD.DECL
4 panibus bread ABL.PL.M.4TH.DECL
5 sicut just as CONJ.SUBORD
6 præceperat had commanded 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND
7 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M.2ND.DECL
8 Moysi to Moses DAT.SG.M.INDECL

Syntax

Ablative Absolute:
• ordinatis coram propositionis panibus — “with the bread of the offering arranged before it”
— ordinatis = perfect passive participle
— panibus = noun in ablative
— propositionis = genitive modifier
— coram = preposition governing ablative

Comparative Clause:
• sicut præceperat Dominus Moysi — “just as the LORD had commanded Moses”
— Dominus = subject
— Moysi = indirect object
— præceperat = pluperfect

Morphology

  1. ordinatis — Lemma: ordino; Part of Speech: participle; Form: perfect passive participle ablative plural masculine/neuter; Function: head of ablative absolute; Translation: with … arranged; Notes: describes the orderly placement of sacred bread.
  2. coram — Lemma: coram; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: indicates position; Translation: before; Notes: used frequently for liturgical placement.
  3. propositionis — Lemma: propositio; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: modifies panibus; Translation: of the offering; Notes: refers to the “bread of the Presence.”
  4. panibus — Lemma: panis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural masculine 4th declension; Function: complement of coram; Translation: bread; Notes: liturgical bread arranged on the table.
  5. sicut — Lemma: sicut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces comparison; Translation: just as; Notes: introduces conformity with divine command.
  6. præceperat — Lemma: præcipio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular pluperfect active indicative; Function: verb of comparative clause; Translation: had commanded; Notes: emphasizes prior instruction.
  7. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine 2nd declension; Function: subject of præceperat; Translation: the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  8. Moysi — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: dative singular masculine indeclinable; Function: indirect object; Translation: to Moses; Notes: recipient of divine command.

 

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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