Exodus 8:16

Posted on February 27, 2006 by Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus

Ex 8:16 Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen: Loquere ad Aaron: Extende virgam tuam, et percute pulverem terræ: et sint sciniphes in universa Terra Ægypti.

And the LORD said to Moyses: “Speak to Aaron: ‘Stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, and let there be gnats in all the Land of Egypt.’”

# Latin Gloss Grammar Tag
1 Dixitque and said 3SG.PERF.ACT.IND
2 Dominus the LORD NOM.SG.M
3 ad to PREP+ACC
4 Moysen Moses ACC.SG.M
5 Loquere speak 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
6 ad to PREP+ACC
7 Aaron Aaron ACC.SG.M
8 Extende stretch out 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
9 virgam rod ACC.SG.F
10 tuam your ACC.SG.F.POSS
11 et and CONJ
12 percute strike 2SG.PRES.ACT.IMP
13 pulverem dust ACC.SG.M
14 terræ of the earth GEN.SG.F
15 et and CONJ
16 sint let there be 3PL.PRES.SUBJ.ACT
17 sciniphes gnats NOM.PL.M
18 in in PREP+ABL
19 universa all ABL.SG.F
20 Terra Land ABL.SG.F
21 Ægypti of Egypt GEN.SG.F

Syntax

Main reporting clause:
• Subject: Dominus
• Verb: Dixitque
• Indirect object: ad Moysen

Direct speech command structure:
1. Loquere ad Aaron — Moses is commanded to speak to Aaron.
2. Extende virgam tuam — imperative order to Aaron.
3. percute pulverem terræ — second imperative directed to Aaron.
4. Result clause: et sint sciniphes — jussive subjunctive expressing divine will (“let there be gnats”).
5. Locative expression: in universa Terra Ægypti — domain of the plague.

Morphology

  1. Dixitque — Lemma: dico; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person singular perfect active indicative + -que; Function: main narrative verb; Translation: and said; Notes: -que joins tightly to previous action.
  2. Dominus — Lemma: Dominus; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative singular masculine; Function: subject; Translation: the LORD; Notes: refers to YHWH.
  3. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: governs accusative; Function: indicates direction toward recipient; Translation: to; Notes: standard in speech formulas.
  4. Moysen — Lemma: Moyses; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: indirect object; Translation: Moses; Notes: recipient of divine command.
  5. Loquere — Lemma: loquor; Part of Speech: deponent verb; Form: 2nd person singular present imperative; Function: command to Moses; Translation: speak; Notes: deponent imperative active in meaning.
  6. ad — Lemma: ad; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: + accusative; Function: marks target of speech; Translation: to; Notes: repeated for clarity.
  7. Aaron — Lemma: Aaron; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: object of ad; Translation: Aaron; Notes: Moses must relay the divine command to him.
  8. Extende — Lemma: extendo; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active imperative; Function: command to Aaron; Translation: stretch out; Notes: standard imperative used in plague actions.
  9. virgam — Lemma: virga; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: direct object of Extende; Translation: rod; Notes: Aaron’s staff used for signs.
  10. tuam — Lemma: tuus; Part of Speech: possessive adjective; Form: accusative singular feminine; Function: modifies virgam; Translation: your; Notes: agrees with virgam in gender, number, and case.
  11. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: coordinates commands; Translation: and; Notes: connects consecutive imperatives.
  12. percute — Lemma: percutio; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 2nd person singular present active imperative; Function: command to strike; Translation: strike; Notes: introduces the action that triggers the next plague.
  13. pulverem — Lemma: pulvis; Part of Speech: noun; Form: accusative singular masculine; Function: direct object of percute; Translation: dust; Notes: the plague originates from the earth’s dust.
  14. terræ — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of specification; Translation: of the earth; Notes: distinguishes location/source of dust.
  15. et — Lemma: et; Part of Speech: conjunction; Form: indeclinable; Function: introduces result clause; Translation: and; Notes: simple connective.
  16. sint — Lemma: sum; Part of Speech: verb; Form: 3rd person plural present subjunctive active; Function: jussive expressing divine decree; Translation: let there be; Notes: conveys divine creation of plague.
  17. sciniphes — Lemma: sciniphes; Part of Speech: noun; Form: nominative plural masculine; Function: subject of sint; Translation: gnats; Notes: third plague in Exodus cycle.
  18. in — Lemma: in; Part of Speech: preposition; Form: + ablative; Function: locative expression; Translation: in; Notes: describes area affected.
  19. universa — Lemma: universus; Part of Speech: adjective; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: modifies Terra; Translation: whole/all; Notes: emphasizes totality of the plague’s reach.
  20. Terra — Lemma: terra; Part of Speech: noun; Form: ablative singular feminine; Function: object of in; Translation: land; Notes: specifically the land of Egypt.
  21. Ægypti — Lemma: Ægyptus; Part of Speech: proper noun; Form: genitive singular feminine; Function: genitive of possession; Translation: of Egypt; Notes: identifies territory struck by gnats.

 

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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