Exodus 5:3

Posted on February 24, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 5:3 Dixeruntque: Deus Hebræorum vocavit nos, ut eamus viam trium dierum in solitudinem, et sacrificemus Domino Deo nostro: ne forte accidat nobis pestis aut gladius.

And they said: “The God of the Hebrews has called us, so that we may go a journey of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest perhaps pestilence or the sword happen to us.”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixeruntque and they said 3PL.PERF.ACT.IND + -QUE
2 Deus God NOM.SG.M
3 Hebræorum of the Hebrews GEN.PL.M
4 vocavit has called 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
5 nos us ACC.PL
6 ut so that CONJ
7 eamUS we may go 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
8 viam the way / journey ACC.SG.F
9 trium of three GEN.PL
10 dierum days GEN.PL.M
11 in into PREP+ACC
12 solitudinem wilderness ACC.SG.F
13 et and CONJ
14 sacrificemus we may sacrifice 1PL.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
15 Domino to the LORD DAT.SG.M
16 Deo God DAT.SG.M
17 nostro our DAT.SG.M
18 ne lest CONJ
19 forte perhaps ADV
20 accidat may happen 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
21 nobis to us DAT.PL
22 pestis pestilence NOM.SG.F
23 aut or CONJ
24 gladius sword NOM.SG.M

Syntax

Main clause: Dixeruntque introduces the spokesman (Moses and Aaron).
Subject phrase: Deus Hebræorum — “the God of the Hebrews,” subject of vocavit.
Object: nos — direct object of “has called.”
Purpose clause #1: ut eamus viam trium dierum in solitudinem — subjunctive eamus marks purpose.
Purpose clause #2 (coordinated): et sacrificemus Domino Deo nostro — worship demanded by divine command.
Negative precaution clause: ne forte accidat nobis pestis aut gladius — “lest perhaps pestilence or the sword happen to us,” expressing fear of divine punishment.

Morphology

  1. Dixeruntque — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person plural perfect active indicative with enclitic -que; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: and they said; Notes: perfective narrative progression.
  2. Deus — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: God; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  3. Hebræorum — Lemma: Hebræus; Part of Speech: adjective used substantively; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: modifies Deus; Translation: of the Hebrews; Notes: ethnic designation.
  4. vocavit — Lemma: voco; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main verb; Translation: has called; Notes: divine summons.
  5. nos — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: accusative plural; Function: direct object of vocavit; Translation: us; Notes: refers to Moses and Aaron.
  6. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: introduces purpose clause; Function: expresses intent; Translation: so that; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  7. eamus — Lemma: eo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of purpose clause; Translation: we may go; Notes: voluntary movement toward worship.
  8. viam — Lemma: via; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: internal object; Translation: the way / journey; Notes: idiomatic “to go a journey.”
  9. trium — Lemma: tres; Part of Speech: numeral; Form: genitive plural; Function: genitive of measure; Translation: of three; Notes: specifies duration.
  10. dierum — Lemma: dies; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: complements trium; Translation: days; Notes: measure phrase.
  11. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates motion; Translation: into; Notes: directional.
  12. solitudinem — Lemma: solitudo; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: wilderness; Notes: place of worship.
  13. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Function: coordinates second purpose clause; Translation: and; Notes: joins actions.
  14. sacrificemus — Lemma: sacrifico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: first person plural present active subjunctive; Function: verb of second purpose clause; Translation: we may sacrifice; Notes: cultic worship.
  15. Domino — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: to the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  16. Deo — Lemma: Deus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: apposition to Domino; Translation: God; Notes: stresses divine identity.
  17. nostro — Lemma: noster; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: dative singular masculine; Function: modifies Deo; Translation: our; Notes: covenantal relationship.
  18. ne — Lemma: ne; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: introduces negative purpose; Function: expresses avoidance; Translation: lest; Notes: governs subjunctive.
  19. forte — Lemma: forte; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: modal; Function: softens warning; Translation: perhaps; Notes: uncertainty.
  20. accidat — Lemma: accido; Part of Speech: verb; Form: third person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb of negative purpose; Translation: may happen; Notes: feared divine retribution.
  21. nobis — Lemma: nos; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: dative plural; Function: indirect object; Translation: to us; Notes: community at risk.
  22. pestis — Lemma: pestis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular feminine; Function: subject of accidat; Translation: pestilence; Notes: divine plague.
  23. aut — Lemma: aut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: disjunctive; Function: alternative; Translation: or; Notes: connects possibilities.
  24. gladius — Lemma: gladius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: second subject of accidat; Translation: sword; Notes: death by violence.

 

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.
This entry was posted in Exodus. Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.