Lexical Summary
maan: For the sake of, in order that, because of, so that
Original Word:מַעַן
Part of Speech:substantive; preposition; conjunction; conjunction
Transliteration:ma`an
Pronunciation:mah-ahn
Phonetic Spelling:(mah'-an)
KJV: because of, to the end (intent) that, for (to, 's sake), + lest, that, to
NASB:so, sake, order, because, purpose, account, behalf
Word Origin:[fromH6030 (עָנָה - To answer)]
1. (properly) heed, i.e. purpose
2. used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
because of, to the end intent that, for to,
Fromanah; properly, heed, i.e. Purpose; used only adverbially, on account of (as a motive or an aim), teleologically, in order that -- because of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 'S sake), + lest, that, to.
see HEBREWanah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
anahDefinitionpurpose, intent
NASB Translationaccount (1), because (14), behalf (1), order (40), purpose (2), reason is so (1), sake (50), so (54), therefore (1), this reason (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] , only with , in
271 and
(abbreviated from : compare ; Köii. 116); — with suffix , , and ; — : —
Genesis 18:24 wilt thou ... not spare the placefor the sake of the 50 righteous?Deuteronomy 30:6for thy life's sake,1 Kings 8:41 the foreigner who comer from afar ,Isaiah 43:14 ,Isaiah 45:4;Isaiah 62:1 ,Isaiah 63:17 ,Isaiah 65:8;Ezekiel 36:22 (twice in verse);Job 18:4;Psalm 122:8;Psalm 122:9; () , i.e. for the sake of David's memory, and the promises given to him,1 Kings 11:12,13,32,34;1 Kings 15:4;2 Kings 8:19;2 Kings 19:34 (=Isaiah 37:35),Isaiah 20:6 (all D2); (of )for my own sake, i.e. to vindicate my name,2 Kings 19:34 (=Isaiah 37:35),2 Kings 20:6;Isaiah 43:25;Isaiah 48:11 , soDaniel 9:19,Daniel 9:17; is said (or entreated) to act (, ) i.e. to maintain his reputation, or character,Psalm 23:3;Psalm 25:11;Psalm 31:4;Psalm 79:9;Psalm 106:8;Psalm 143:11;Jeremiah 14:7,21;Ezekiel 20:9,14,22,44;Isaiah 48:9; simile (i.e. to maintain it consistently)Psalm 6:5;Psalm 44:27,Psalm 25:7,Isaiah 42:21.
In view of, on account of (but not expressing causation distinctly, like , or ),Deuteronomy 3:26on your account,1 Kings 11:39in view of this,on account of my watchful foes,Psalm 5:9;Psalm 27:11,Psalm 8:3, simil.Psalm 69:19;Psalm 48:12 (Psalm 97:8)in view of thy judgments.
Sq. infinitiveGenesis 18:19for the purpose of J.'s bringing =to the intent that J.might bring,Genesis 37:22in order to rescue,Genesis 50:20;Exodus 1:11;Exodus 9:16;Exodus 10:1, etc.,Deuteronomy 2:30;Deuteronomy 6:28, etc.,2 Kings 10:19;Jeremiah 7:10,18;Jeremiah 11:5;Jeremiah 50:34 (on , see
b),Ezekiel 14:5;Ezekiel 21:5;Ezekiel 22:6 etc.,Ezekiel 36:5, + often (Köiii.595 f.). Once, pleonastic,Ezekiel 21:20 (compare1 Chronicles 19:3; but read probably ).
(followed by imperfect): —
Genesis 18:19 I have known himto the end that he might command, etc.,Deuteronomy 27:3;Joshua 3:4;2 Samuel 13:5;Jeremiah 42:6; more often
without , asGenesis 12:13 ,Genesis 27:25;Exodus 4:5 ,Exodus 8:6;Exodus 8:18;Exodus 9:29;Exodus 10:2;Isaiah 5:19;Isaiah 23:16;Psalm 9:15;Psalm 30:13;Psalm 48:14 + often (Köiii.571).
Sq.(a)Numbers 17:5;Deuteronomy 20:18;Ezekiel 31:14;Ezekiel 36:30;Ezekiel 46:18;(b)Ezekiel 14:11;Ezekiel 19:9;Ezekiel 25:10;Ezekiel 26:20;Zechariah 12:7;Psalm 119:11;Psalm 119:80;Psalm 125:3 (Köiii.574. Less common than or with infinitive, or ).
— is alwaysin order that, never merelyso that ); but sometimes, in rhetorical passages, the issue of a line of action, though really undesigned, is represented by it ironically as if it were designed:Deuteronomy 29:18 (see Dr) and he congratulate himself ...in order to sweep away the moistened with the dry (i.e. to destroy all together),Isaiah 30:1;Isaiah 44:9in orer that they may be put to shame,Jeremiah 7:18 ,Jeremiah 7:19 ,Jeremiah 27:10,15;Jeremiah 32:29;Hosea 8:4 their silver, etc., they have made into idolsin order that it may be cut off (of course, not thereal purpose of the idolatry),Amos 2:7;Micah 6:16: comparePsalm 51:6 (see Comn.)in order that thou mightest be just when thou judgest (that is, by manifesting thy justice in judgement on my sin). compare
Qor 28:7 (FlKl. Schr. i. 397 f.).
— InJoshua 4:24 for the anomalous , read infinitivein order that they might fear (Dr§ 14 Obs.):Nehemiah 6:13 (si vera 1.) the first points forwards,to this intent was he hired,to the intent that I should be afraid. — OnProverbs 16:4, see above
Topical Lexicon
Overviewמַעַן (Strong’s 4616) is a purpose-oriented term that serves as one of the principal connectors between divine intention and human response in the Old Testament. Appearing about 272 times, often with the prefixed preposition לְ (“for, so that”), it consistently moves the narrative forward by answering the question “Why?”—whether in covenant stipulations, historical narrative, prophetic oracle, or liturgical prayer.
Distribution in the Canon
• Torah: Genesis–Deuteronomy contain more than one-third of the occurrences, grounding Israel’s formative history and law in stated divine purposes.
• Former Prophets: Joshua through 2 Kings employ the term to expose the rationale behind victories, judgments, and reforms.
• Latter Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve frequently use it to reveal YHWH’s redemptive aims amid discipline.
• Writings: Psalms, Proverbs, and Chronicles utilize מַעַן to frame praise, wisdom, and historiography around God’s objectives.
Primary Theological Themes
1.Covenantal Purpose
From the outset, God ties promises to purpose. “I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). Here מַעַן underscores Abraham’s call as a conduit of universal blessing. Similarly, Deuteronomy anchors obedience to purpose: “Keep His statutes… so that it may go well with you” (Deuteronomy 4:40).
2.Holiness and Witness
Israel’s distinctiveness is teleological. “You shall be holy, for I am holy… so that I may dwell among them” (Leviticus 11:45;Exodus 29:46). The phrase regularly links ritual requirements to the divine intention of manifesting God’s presence before the nations (Ezekiel 36:22-23).
3.Salvation and Judgment
מַעַן appears both in announcements of mercy and of discipline. Pharaoh is warned, “But for this reason I have raised you up, so that My power may be displayed in you” (Exodus 9:16). Isaiah speaks similarly of Cyrus: “For the sake of Jacob My servant… I summon you by name” (Isaiah 45:4).
4.Instruction and Memory
Educational intent pervades the festivals and memorials: “These stones will be a sign among you, so that when your children ask…” (Joshua 4:6). Psalms reiterates the didactic aim: “Teach us to number our days, so that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
5.Intercessory Appeals
The psalmists and prophets invoke divine purpose when pleading for mercy. “Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck… Deliver me so that I may praise Your name” (Psalm 69:1, 30).Daniel 9:17 prays, “Cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, for the Lord’s sake.”
Representative Passages
•Exodus 10:2 – Deliverance events are “so that you may tell your children… and that you may know that I am the LORD.”
•Deuteronomy 8:16 – Wilderness manna given “to humble you and test you, so that in the end He might cause you to prosper.”
•1 Samuel 12:22 – “The LORD will not forsake His people, for His great name’s sake.”
•2 Kings 19:19 – Hezekiah’s prayer: “Save us… so that all kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone are God.”
•Psalm 115:1 – “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your loving devotion.”
•Ezekiel 36:32 – “Not for your sake do I act… Be ashamed of your ways.”
•Zechariah 8:15 – “I have purposed again in these days to do good to Jerusalem.”
Historical and Liturgical Significance
During Temple worship, songs and prayers saturated with מַעַן reminded worshipers that sacrifices and festivals carried forward God’s overarching objectives. The prophets leveraged the term to expose futile religiosity detached from divine purpose, calling Israel back to mission-centered obedience. Post-exilic communities read these texts as assurance that even disciplinary exile served a restorative design.
Messianic and Redemptive Trajectory
By linking every divine act to an explicit purpose, מַעַן lays groundwork for New Covenant fulfillment. The Servant Songs echo the motif: “It is too small a thing… to restore the tribes of Jacob… I will make You a light for the nations” (Isaiah 49:6). The same telic language reappears in the Greek New Testament (ἵνα, “so that”), underscoring continuity between covenants: “Christ became a servant to the circumcised… so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy” (Romans 15:8-9).
Practical Ministry Implications
1. Purpose-driven Obedience: Scripture consistently weds commands to God’s redemptive aims, challenging believers to pursue holiness as a witness to divine glory.
2. Purpose-infused Prayer: Following biblical petitioners, intercessory prayer finds power in aligning requests with God’s revealed intentions.
3. Purpose-anchored Hope: Even trials serve constructive ends; pastors can comfort congregations with passages where suffering prepares, humbles, or refines “so that” greater blessing may come.
4. Purpose-shaped Mission: Just as Israel was blessed “so that” the nations might know the Lord, the Church advances the gospel in conscious fulfillment of the same telic thread.
Conclusion
מַעַן threads purpose through every strata of the Old Testament, binding divine action, human responsibility, and redemptive history into a coherent narrative of intentional grace. Recognizing its function enriches exegesis, galvanizes faithful living, and magnifies the glory of God whose every word and deed is “so that” His name might be known in all the earth.
Forms and Transliterations
הַ֭לְמַעַנְךָ הלמענך וּלְמַ֖עַן וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ וּלְמַ֛עַן וּלְמַ֜עַן וּלְמַ֡עַן וּלְמַ֣עַן וּלְמַ֤עַן וּלְמַ֥עַן וּלְמַ֨עַן ולמען לְ֝מַ֗עַן לְ֠מַעַן לְ֭מַעַן לְמַ֕עַן לְמַ֖עַן לְמַ֗עַן לְמַ֙עַן֙ לְמַ֛עַן לְמַ֜עַן לְמַ֡עַן לְמַ֣עַן לְמַ֣עַן ׀ לְמַ֣עַנְכֶ֔ם לְמַ֤עַן לְמַ֤עַן ׀ לְמַ֥עַן לְמַ֧עַן לְמַ֨עַן לְמַֽעֲנְךָ֣ לְמַֽעֲנִ֔י לְמַֽעַן־ לְמַעֲנִ֑י לְמַעֲנִ֛י לְמַעֲנִ֧י לְמַעַן֩ לְמַעַן֮ לְמַעַן־ לְמַעַנְכֶ֛ם לְמַעַנְכֶ֞ם לְמַעַנְכֶ֣ם למען למען־ למעני למענך למענכם hal·ma·‘an·ḵā halma‘anḵā Halmaancha lə·ma·‘ă·nî lə·ma·‘an lə·ma·‘an- lə·ma·‘ăn·ḵā lə·ma·‘an·ḵem ləma‘an ləma‘an- ləma‘ănî ləma‘ănḵā ləma‘anḵem leMaan lemaanCha leMaanChem lemaaNi ū·lə·ma·‘an ūləma‘an uleMaan
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