Exodus 40:33

Posted on March 31, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 40:33 Nec poterat Moyses ingredi tectum fœderis, nube operiente omnia, et maiestate Domini coruscante, quia cuncta nubes operuerat.

And Moyses was not able to enter the tent of the covenant, with the cloud covering all things and the majesty of the LORD shining, because the cloud had covered everything.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Nec and not CONJ
2 poterat was able 3SG.IMP.ACT.IND
3 Moyses Moses NOM.SG.M.3RD.DECL
4 ingredi to enter INF.PRES.DEP
5 tectum tent ACC.SG.N.2ND.DECL
6 fœderis of the covenant GEN.SG.N.3RD.DECL
7 nube with the cloud ABL.SG.F.3RD.DECL
8 operiente covering PTCP.PRES.ACT.ABL.SG.F
9 omnia all things ACC.PL.N.3RD.DECL
10 et and CONJ
11 maiestate majesty ABL.SG.F.3RD.DECL
12 Domini of the LORD GEN.SG.M.2ND.DECL
13 coruscante shining PTCP.PRES.ACT.ABL.SG.F
14 quia because CONJ.SUBORD
15 cuncta all things NOM.PL.N.3RD.DECL
16 nubes cloud NOM.SG.F.3RD.DECL
17 operuerat had covered 3SG.PLUP.ACT.IND

Syntax

Main Clause:
• Nec poterat Moyses ingredi tectum fœderis — “And Moses was not able to enter the tent of the covenant”
— poterat = imperfect of ability
— Moyses = subject
— ingredi tectum fœderis = infinitive phrase functioning as complement

Ablative Absolute 1:
• nube operiente omnia — “with the cloud covering all things”
— nube + present participle = contemporaneous circumstance

Ablative Absolute 2:
• et maiestate Domini coruscante — “and with the majesty of the LORD shining”
— maiestate + present participle = vivid divine manifestation

Subordinate Causal Clause:
• quia cuncta nubes operuerat — “because the cloud had covered everything”
— operuerat = pluperfect marking prior covering
— cuncta = subject complement of coverage

Morphology

  1. Nec — Lemma: nec; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: negated connective; Translation: and not; Notes: denies continuation of previous narrative pattern.
  2. poterat — Lemma: possum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular imperfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: was able; Notes: imperfect expresses sustained inability.
  3. Moyses — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine 3rd declension; Function: subject; Translation: Moses; Notes: protagonist barred by divine presence.
  4. ingredi — Lemma: ingredior; Part of Speech: verb (deponent); Form: present infinitive deponent; Function: complement of poterat; Translation: to enter; Notes: active meaning despite deponent form.
  5. tectum — Lemma: tectum; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular neuter 2nd declension; Function: object of ingredi; Translation: tent; Notes: used here for the tabernacle.
  6. fœderis — Lemma: fœdus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular neuter 3rd declension; Function: modifies tectum; Translation: of the covenant; Notes: identifies the sacred tent by its covenantal function.
  7. nube — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: with the cloud; Notes: instrument of divine presence.
  8. operiente — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: covering; Notes: simultaneous with Moses’ attempted approach.
  9. omnia — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective/substantive; Form: accusative plural neuter; Function: object of operiente; Translation: all things; Notes: totalizing term.
  10. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links second ablative absolute; Translation: and; Notes: joins parallel circumstances.
  11. maiestate — Lemma: maiestas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: majesty; Notes: denotes visible divine brilliance.
  12. Domini — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular masculine 2nd declension; Function: modifies maiestate; Translation: of the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  13. coruscante — Lemma: corusco; Part of Speech: participle; Form: present active participle ablative singular feminine; Function: ablative absolute; Translation: shining; Notes: describes radiance of divine presence.
  14. quia — Lemma: quia; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: subordinating; Function: introduces causal clause; Translation: because; Notes: marks explanation.
  15. cuncta — Lemma: cunctus; Part of Speech: adjective/substantive; Form: nominative plural neuter; Function: subject; Translation: all things; Notes: comprehensive subject of the divine covering.
  16. nubes — Lemma: nubes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine 3rd declension; Function: subject complement; Translation: cloud; Notes: repeated for emphasis on divine manifestation.
  17. operuerat — Lemma: operio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular pluperfect active indicative; Function: main verb of causal clause; Translation: had covered; Notes: indicates prior act creating current barrier.

 

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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