Lexical Definition

‎מַעַן‎ maʻan (mah'-an) because ^{H:Prep / H:Conj}
from ‎עָנָה‎

because of, to the end (intent) that, for (to,... 's sake), [phrase] lest, that, to.

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

1) purpose, intent prep
1a) for the sake of
1b) in view of, on account of
1c) for the purpose of, to the intent that, in order to conj
1d) to the end that

Brown-Driver-Briggs

Also see: אֲשֶׁר | מַעֲנֶה

[‎מַ֫עַן‎] substantive purpose, intent, only with ‎לְ‎, in ‎לְמַ֫עַן‎₂₇₁ preposition and conjunction for the sake of, on account of, to the intent or in order that (abbreviated from ‎מַעֲנֶה‎: compare ‎מַ֫עַל‎; Kö^{ii. 116}); — with suffix ‎לְמַעֲנִי‎, ‎לְמַעַנְךָ‎, and ‎לְמַעַנְכֶם‎; —

1. preposition: —
a. Gen 18:24 wilt thou ... not spare the place ‎למען חמשׁים הציקים‎ for the sake of the 50 righteous? Deut 30:6 ‎חַיֶּיךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ for thy life's sake, 1Kgs 8:41 the foreigner who comer from afar ‎שְׁמֶ֑ךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎, Isa 43:14 ‎לְמַעַנְכֶם שִׁלַּחְתִּי בָבֶ֫לָה‎, Isa 45:4; Isa 62:1 ‎ציון‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎, Isa 63:17 ‎עבדיך‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎, Isa 65:8; Ezek 36:22 (twice in verse); Job 18:4; Ps 122:8; Ps 122:9 (‎׳‎‎עַבְדִּי ד‎) ‎לְמַעַן דָּוִד‎, i.e. for the sake of David's memory, and the promises given to him, 1Kgs 11:12; 1Kgs 11:13; 1Kgs 11:32; 1Kgs 11:34; 1Kgs 15:4; 2Kgs 8:19; 2Kgs 19:34 (= Isa 37:35), Isa 20:6 (all D²); ‎לְמַעֲנִי‎ (of ‎׳‎‎י‎) for my own sake, i.e. to vindicate my name, 2Kgs 19:34 (= Isa 37:35), 2Kgs 20:6; Isa 43:25; Isa 48:11 ‎לְמַעֲנִי לְמַעֲנִי אֶעֲשֶׁה‎, so ‎לְמַעַנְךָ‎ Dan 9:19, ‎אֲדֹנָי‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ vDan 9:17 ‎׳‎‎י‎ is said (or entreated) to act (‎שִׁמְךָ‎, ‎שְׁמִי‎) ‎לְמַעַן שְׁמוֺ‎ i.e. to maintain his reputation, or character, Ps 23:3; Ps 25:11; Ps 31:4*; Ps 79:9; Ps 106:8; Ps 143:11; Jer 14:7; Jer 14:21; Ezek 20:9; Ezek 20:14; Ezek 20:22; Ezek 20:44; Isa 48:9 simile ‎חַסְדְּךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ (i.e. to maintain it consistently) Ps 6:5*; Ps 44:27*, ‎טוּבְךָ‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ Ps 25:7, ‎צִדְקוֺ‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ Isa 42:21.

b. In view of, on account of (but not expressing causation distinctly, like ‎מִן‎ 2 f, or ‎מִפְּנֵי‎), Deut 3:26 ‎בי לְמַעַנְכֶם‎ ‎׳‎‎ויתעבר י‎ on your account, 1Kgs 11:39 ‎זֹאת‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ in view of this, ‎שׁוֺרֲרַי‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ on account of my watchful foes, Ps 5:9*; Ps 27:11, ‎צורריך‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ Ps 8:3*, simil. Ps 69:19*; Ps 48:12* (Ps 97:8) ‎משׁפטיך‎ ‎׳‎‎ישמח הר ציון ֗֗֗ ל‎ in view of thy judgments.

c. Sq. infinitive Gen 18:19 ‎׳‎‎לְמַעַן הָבִיא י‎ for the purpose of J.'s bringing = to the intent that J. might bring, Gen 37:22 ‎הַצִּיל‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ in order to rescue, Gen 50:20; Exod 1:11; Exod 9:16; Exod 10:1, etc., Deut 2:30; Deut 6:28, etc., 2Kgs 10:19; Jer 7:10; Jer 7:18; Jer 11:5; Jer 50:34 (on ‎הִרגיע‎, see ‎עַד‎ 2 a b), Ezek 14:5; Ezek 21:5*; Ezek 22:6 etc., Ezek 36:5, + often (Kö^{iii.595 f.}). Once, pleonastic, ‎לְמַעַן לָמוּג לֵב‎ Ezek 21:20* (compare ‎כַּעֲבוּר לְ‎ 1Chr 19:3 but read probably ‎הִמּוֺג‎).

2. conjunction (followed by imperfect): —
a. ‎לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר‎ Gen 18:19 I have known him ‎אשׁר יְצַוֶּה‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ to the end that he might command, etc., Deut 27:3; Josh 3:4; 2Sam 13:5; Jer 42:6 more often
b. without ‎אשׁר‎, as Gen 12:13 ‎לְמַעַן יִיטַב לִי‎, Gen 27:25; Exod 4:5 ‎יאמינו‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎, Exod 8:6*; Exod 8:18*; Exod 9:29; Exod 10:2; Isa 5:19; Isa 23:16; Ps 9:15*; Ps 30:13*; Ps 48:14* + often (Kö^iii.571).

c. Sq. ‎לֹא‎ (a) ‎אשׁר לֹא‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ Num 17:5*; Deut 20:18; Ezek 31:14; Ezek 36:30; Ezek 46:18 (b) ‎לֹא‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ Ezek 14:11; Ezek 19:9; Ezek 25:10; Ezek 26:20; Zech 12:7; Ps 119:11; Ps 119:80; Ps 125:3 (Kö^{iii.574. Less common than} ‎לְבִלְתִּי‎ or ‎מִן‎ with infinitive, or ‎פֶּןֿ‎).

Note

1. — ‎לְמַעַן‎ is always in order that, never merely so that ἐκβατικῶς); 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: Deut 29:18* (see Dr) ‎׳‎‎סְפוֺת וגו‎ ‎׳‎‎וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ כִּלְבָבוֺ ֗֗֗ ל‎ and he congratulate himself ... in order to sweep away the moistened with the dry (i.e. to destroy all together), Isa 30:1; Isa 44:9 ‎יֵבוֺשׁוּ‎ ‎׳‎‎בל יראו ובל ידעו ל‎ in orer that they may be put to shame, Jer 7:18 ‎הַכְעִיסֵנִי‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎, vJer 7:19 ‎בּשֶׁת פְנֵיהֶם‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎, Jer 27:10; Jer 27:15; Jer 32:29; Hos 8:4 their silver, etc., they have made into idols ‎יִכָרֵת‎ ‎׳‎‎ל‎ in order that it may be cut off (of course, not the real purpose of the idolatry), Amos 2:7; Mic 6:16: compare Ps 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 (Fl^{Kl. Schr. i. 397 f.}).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References