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Hebrew · H4616

מַעַן

Properly, heed , i.e. purpose ; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that

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מַעַןH4616
Pronunciationmaʿan

What does מַעַן (maʿan) mean in the Bible?

מַעַן (maʿan): Expresses purpose or motivation by focusing on the aim or intended result, not mere causation.

Full entry for מַעַן (H4616) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does מַעַן (maʿan) mean in the Bible?

מַעַן (maʿan): Expresses purpose or motivation by focusing on the aim or intended result, not mere causation.

How does the BSB render H4616?

The BSB source-word alignment has 272 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include so that (89), that (21), for the sake (18), to (18), . . . (14).

Where does מַעַן (maʿan) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 12:13. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (48), Ezekiel (37), Psalms (32), Isaiah (28).

Source Word Evidence

BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.

How English Renders It
so that89×Genesis 12:13, Genesis 27:25, Genesis 37:22, Exodus 8:10
that21×Exodus 10:1, Exodus 13:9, Numbers 16:40, Deuteronomy 2:30
for the sake18×1 Kings 11:12, 1 Kings 11:13, 1 Kings 11:32, 1 Kings 11:34
to18×Deuteronomy 6:23, Deuteronomy 9:5, Deuteronomy 17:16, Deuteronomy 27:3
. . .14×Exodus 33:13, Leviticus 20:3, Deuteronomy 8:16, Deuteronomy 14:29
because of12×1 Kings 8:41, 2 Kings 13:23, 2 Chronicles 6:32, 2 Chronicles 21:7
in order to9×Genesis 50:20, Deuteronomy 8:16, Deuteronomy 8:18, 2 Kings 10:19
for the sake of7×Genesis 18:24, Psalms 25:11, Psalms 31:3, Psalms 106:8
so7×2 Samuel 13:5, Proverbs 2:20, Isaiah 44:9, Jeremiah 7:10
and so that5×Deuteronomy 6:2, Deuteronomy 11:9, Deuteronomy 29:13, Joshua 4:24
For your sake5×Isaiah 43:14, Ezekiel 36:22, Ezekiel 36:32, Daniel 9:17
and that4×Exodus 9:16, Exodus 10:2, Deuteronomy 4:40, Deuteronomy 5:16
for My own sake4×2 Kings 19:34, Isaiah 37:35, Isaiah 43:25, Isaiah 48:11
in order that4×Genesis 18:19, Deuteronomy 17:20, 2 Chronicles 10:15, Ezekiel 14:11
Then4×Exodus 11:7, Numbers 15:40, 1 Kings 8:43, 2 Chronicles 6:33
and for the sake3×1 Kings 11:13, 1 Kings 11:32, Isaiah 37:35
for3×Ezekiel 12:19, Ezekiel 21:10, Ezekiel 22:27
in order3×2 Chronicles 32:18, Ezekiel 20:26, Ezekiel 39:12
In this way3×Exodus 8:22, Exodus 16:4, Judges 2:22
on account of3×Psalms 8:2, Psalms 44:26, Psalms 48:11
-2×Joshua 11:20, Jeremiah 32:29
and for the sake of2×2 Kings 19:34, 2 Kings 20:6
sake2×Isaiah 62:1
therefore2×Jeremiah 27:15, Micah 6:16
[He did this] so that1×Joshua 4:24
[This was] in order to1×Jeremiah 11:5
and1×Jeremiah 44:8
and pressed1×Ezekiel 23:21
and so1×Amos 2:7
As a result1×Jeremiah 44:8
Because1×1 Kings 11:39
bent on1×Ezekiel 22:9
for My sake1×2 Kings 20:6
For this reason1×Leviticus 17:5
He did this1×2 Kings 23:24
him1×Genesis 18:19
My very own sake1×Isaiah 48:11
on account of you1×Deuteronomy 3:26
on behalf1×Isaiah 65:8
on your account1×Job 18:4
so that they1×Jeremiah 10:18
so that you1×Deuteronomy 6:2
that my heart1×Psalms 30:12
that will serve1×Jeremiah 27:10
the Israelites to1×Exodus 1:11
they spite1×Jeremiah 7:19
This happened so that1×Ezekiel 31:14
This is so that1×Exodus 4:5
until1×Ezekiel 24:11
vvv1×Judges 3:2
Yet for the sake1×2 Kings 8:19
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 12:13לְמַ֙עַן֙toso thatConjunctionGenesis 18:19לְמַעַן֩tohimConjunctionGenesis 18:19לְמַ֗עַןtoin order thatConjunctionGenesis 18:24לְמַ֛עַןtofor the sake ofPrepositionGenesis 27:25לְמַ֥עַןtoso thatConjunctionGenesis 37:22לְמַ֗עַןtoso thatConjunctionGenesis 50:20לְמַ֗עַןtoin order toConjunctionExodus 1:11לְמַ֥עַןtothe Israelites toConjunctionExodus 4:5לְמַ֣עַןtoThis is so thatConjunctionExodus 8:10לְמַ֣עַןtoso thatConjunction
Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned rowGenesis 12:13
Aligned rows272
Books represented29
Genesis7Exodus16Leviticus3Numbers4Deuteronomy48Joshua8Judges21 Samuel22 Samuel11 Kings162 Kings91 Chronicles12 Chronicles9Ezra1Nehemiah3Job3Psalms32Proverbs3Isaiah28Jeremiah24Ezekiel37Daniel2Hosea1Joel1Amos4Obadiah1Micah2Habakkuk2Zechariah2
Source forms
לְמַ֣עַן56xlə·ma·‘anExodus 4:5, Exodus 8:10, Exodus 8:22, Exodus 9:29
לְמַ֥עַן27xlə·ma·‘anGenesis 27:25, Exodus 1:11, Exodus 33:13, Deuteronomy 30:6
לְמַ֙עַן֙25xlə·ma·‘anGenesis 12:13, Exodus 11:7, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 6:18
לְמַ֖עַן25xlə·ma·‘anDeuteronomy 17:16, 1 Kings 11:12, 2 Kings 8:19, 2 Chronicles 25:20
לְמַ֨עַן21xlə·ma·‘anDeuteronomy 5:29, Deuteronomy 6:2, Deuteronomy 8:1, Deuteronomy 8:2
לְמַ֗עַן14xlə·ma·‘anGenesis 18:19, Genesis 37:22, Genesis 50:20, Exodus 10:1
לְמַ֤עַן14xlə·ma·‘anDeuteronomy 5:33, Deuteronomy 14:29, Deuteronomy 16:20, Deuteronomy 24:19
לְמַעַן֩12xlə·ma·‘anGenesis 18:19, Leviticus 17:5, Deuteronomy 12:28, Deuteronomy 13:17
Parsing patterns
Conjunction201xGenesis 12:13, Genesis 18:19, Genesis 27:25, Genesis 37:22
Preposition52xGenesis 18:24, Deuteronomy 30:6, Joshua 4:24, 1 Kings 8:41
Conjunctive waw | Preposition7x1 Kings 11:13, 1 Kings 11:32, 2 Kings 19:34, 2 Kings 20:6
Preposition | first person common singular6x2 Kings 19:34, 2 Kings 20:6, Isaiah 37:35, Isaiah 43:25
Preposition | second person masculine plural4xDeuteronomy 3:26, Isaiah 43:14, Ezekiel 36:22, Ezekiel 36:32
Preposition | second person masculine singular2xJob 18:4, Daniel 9:19
Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

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