Exodus 7:19

Posted on February 26, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 7:19 Dixit quoque Dominus ad Moysen: Dic ad Aaron, Tolle virgam tuam, et extende manum tuam super aquas Ægypti, et super fluvios eorum, et rivos ac paludes, et omnes lacus aquarum, ut vertantur in sanguinem: et sit cruor in omni Terra Ægypti, tam in ligneis vasis quam in saxeis.

And the LORD also said to Moyses: “Say to Aaron, Take your rod, and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, and over their rivers and streams and marshes, and all the pools of waters, that they may be turned into blood; and let there be blood in all the Land of Egypt, both in wooden vessels and in stone vessels.

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixit said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 quoque also ADV
3 Dominus LORD NOM.SG.M
4 ad to PREP+ACC
5 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
6 Dic say 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
7 ad to PREP+ACC
8 Aaron Aaron ACC.SG.M
9 Tolle take 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
10 virgam rod ACC.SG.F
11 tuam your ACC.SG.F.POSS
12 et and CONJ
13 extende stretch out 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
14 manum hand ACC.SG.F
15 tuam your ACC.SG.F.POSS
16 super over PREP+ACC
17 aquas waters ACC.PL.F
18 Ægypti of Egypt GEN.SG.F
19 et and CONJ
20 super over PREP+ACC
21 fluvios rivers ACC.PL.M
22 eorum their GEN.PL.M.PRON
23 et and CONJ
24 rivos streams ACC.PL.M
25 ac and CONJ
26 paludes marshes ACC.PL.F
27 et and CONJ
28 omnes all ACC.PL.M
29 lacus pools ACC.PL.M
30 aquarum of waters GEN.PL.F
31 ut that CONJ
32 vertantur may be turned 3PL.PRES.PASS.SUBJ
33 in into PREP+ACC
34 sanguinem blood ACC.SG.M
35 et and CONJ
36 sit let there be 3SG.PRES.ACT.SUBJ
37 cruor blood NOM.SG.M
38 in in PREP+ABL
39 omni all ABL.SG.F
40 Terra land ABL.SG.F
41 Ægypti of Egypt GEN.SG.F
42 tam so / as much ADV
43 in in PREP+ABL
44 ligneis wooden ABL.PL.N
45 vasis vessels ABL.PL.N
46 quam as in CONJ
47 in in PREP+ABL
48 saxeis stone ABL.PL.N

Syntax

Introductory narrative clause:
Dixit quoque Dominus ad Moysen — main narrative frame: subject Dominus, verb Dixit, prepositional phrase ad Moysen marking the recipient of speech.

Dic ad Aaron — second person singular imperative; Moses is commanded to address Aaron.

Tolle virgam tuam — first command (take the rod).
et extende manum tuam — coordinated second command (stretch out the hand).

super aquas Ægypti — over the general waters of Egypt.
et super fluvios eorum — over their rivers.
et rivos ac paludes — over streams and marshes.
et omnes lacus aquarum — over all pools of waters.
These phrases expand the scope of the miracle to every form of surface water.

ut vertantur in sanguinem — ut + subjunctive vertantur, expressing the intended result: the waters are to be transformed into blood.

et sit cruor in omni Terra Ægypti — subjunctive sit with subject cruor describes the pervasive presence of blood throughout the land.

tam in ligneis vasis quam in saxeis — balanced “both … and …” structure indicating that even stored water, whether in wooden or stone vessels, is affected, heightening the completeness of the plague.

Morphology

  1. Dixit — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative; Function: main narrative verb introducing direct speech; Translation: said; Notes: perfect tense marks a completed speech act by the LORD.
  2. quoque — Lemma: quoque; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: additive particle modifying the whole clause; Translation: also; Notes: signals continuity with previous divine instructions.
  3. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: grammatical subject of Dixit; Translation: LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH and is consistently rendered “LORD.”
  4. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces the recipient phrase; Translation: to; Notes: used regularly with verbs of speaking and motion.
  5. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad, indicating the addressee; Translation: Moses; Notes: Latin form of the name of the prophet.
  6. Dic — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active imperative; Function: direct command addressed to Moses; Translation: say; Notes: introduces the content Moses must convey to Aaron.
  7. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: marks the new recipient of speech; Translation: to; Notes: parallels ad Moysen but now with Aaron as the target.
  8. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad, recipient of Moses’ words; Translation: Aaron; Notes: high-priestly figure who will wield the rod.
  9. Tolle — Lemma: tollo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active imperative; Function: first explicit command given to Aaron; Translation: take; Notes: initiates the ritual action with the rod.
  10. virgam — Lemma: virga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of Tolle; Translation: rod; Notes: the same rod previously used as an instrument of signs.
  11. tuam — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies virgam; Translation: your; Notes: agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it qualifies.
  12. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates the next imperative with the first; Translation: and; Notes: links a sequence of commands.
  13. extende — Lemma: extendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active imperative; Function: second command to Aaron; Translation: stretch out; Notes: describes the gesture that accompanies the miracle.
  14. manum — Lemma: manus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of extende; Translation: hand; Notes: the hand that holds or directs the rod.
  15. tuam — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies manum; Translation: your; Notes: again matches its noun in case, number, and gender.
  16. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: introduces the area over which the hand/rod is extended; Translation: over; Notes: expresses authority or coverage.
  17. aquas — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: object of super; Translation: waters; Notes: general category of Egypt’s natural waters.
  18. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: possessive or descriptive genitive with aquas; Translation: of Egypt; Notes: identifies the national setting of the plague.
  19. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: continues the list of objects under the gesture; Translation: and; Notes: cumulative coordination.
  20. super — Lemma: super; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: with accusative; Function: repeats the prepositional idea over a more specific category; Translation: over; Notes: stylistic parallelism.
  21. fluvios — Lemma: fluvius; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: object of super; Translation: rivers; Notes: likely includes the Nile branches and canals.
  22. eorum — Lemma: is; Part of Speech: pronoun; Form: genitive plural masculine; Function: possessive genitive modifying fluvios; Translation: their; Notes: refers to the Egyptians’ rivers.
  23. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: adds further hydrological features; Translation: and; Notes: keeps extending the scope.
  24. rivos — Lemma: rivus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: further object in the series; Translation: streams; Notes: smaller channels and irrigation ditches.
  25. ac — Lemma: ac; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: connective with a slightly tighter link than et; Translation: and; Notes: stylistic variation from et.
  26. paludes — Lemma: palus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural feminine; Function: coordinated object; Translation: marshes; Notes: stagnant or swampy waters affected by the plague.
  27. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: links the final category; Translation: and; Notes: introduces the most comprehensive phrase.
  28. omnes — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: accusative plural masculine; Function: modifies lacus; Translation: all; Notes: emphasizes totality.
  29. lacus — Lemma: lacus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative plural masculine (4th declension); Function: object of the preposition super understood from the previous phrase; Translation: pools; Notes: man-made or natural basins.
  30. aquarum — Lemma: aqua; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive plural feminine; Function: genitive modifying lacus; Translation: of waters; Notes: clarifies that these pools contain water.
  31. ut — Lemma: ut; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: introduces a purpose clause; Function: marks intended result; Translation: that; Notes: standard biblical Latin usage for purpose/final clauses.
  32. vertantur — Lemma: verto; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present passive subjunctive; Function: verb of the purpose clause; Translation: they may be turned; Notes: passive form stresses the divine agency behind the transformation.
  33. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates change of state or result; Translation: into; Notes: typical with verbs of transformation.
  34. sanguinem — Lemma: sanguis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: predicate accusative after vertantur; Translation: blood; Notes: describes the miraculous endpoint of the transformation.
  35. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces an additional result; Translation: and; Notes: links the general presence of blood to the specific transformation.
  36. sit — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular present active subjunctive; Function: verb in a subjunctive clause of result or command-like wish; Translation: let there be / may there be; Notes: expresses an ongoing condition of bloodiness.
  37. cruor — Lemma: cruor; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject of sit; Translation: blood; Notes: nuance of thick or clotted blood, intensifying the horror.
  38. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: expresses location; Translation: in; Notes: spatially situates the presence of blood.
  39. omni — Lemma: omnis; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies Terra; Translation: all; Notes: indicates the universality of the plague across the land.
  40. Terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: land; Notes: here, the territory of Egypt as a whole.
  41. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive modifying Terra; Translation: of Egypt; Notes: specifies which land is affected.
  42. tam — Lemma: tam; Part of Speech: adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: first part of a correlative pair (tam … quam); Translation: so / as much; Notes: prepares for the balanced comparison that follows.
  43. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces the first member of the correlative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: locative sense with vessels.
  44. ligneis — Lemma: ligneus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: modifies vasis; Translation: wooden; Notes: describes the material of the containers.
  45. vasis — Lemma: vas; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: object of in; Translation: vessels; Notes: refers to storage containers used by the Egyptians.
  46. quam — Lemma: quam; Part of Speech: conjunction / adverb; Form: indeclinable; Function: completes the correlative pair (tam … quam); Translation: as / as in; Notes: equates the second category of vessels with the first.
  47. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs ablative; Function: introduces the second member of the correlative phrase; Translation: in; Notes: parallels the earlier in ligneis vasis.
  48. saxeis — Lemma: saxeus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative plural neuter; Function: understood with vasis; Translation: stone; Notes: indicates vessels made of stone, showing that no kind of stored water escapes the plague.

 

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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