Bible Lexicons

מַעַן (for מַעֲנֶה, from the root עָנָה, عنى to designate by one’s words, compare יַעַן), pr. subst. purpose, intent, with pref. לְ, לְמַעַן; with suff. לְמַעֲנִי, לְמַעַנְךָ, לְמַעַנְכֶם always becoming a particle.

(A) prep. on account of

(1) used of the cause by which any one is moved, Psalms 48:12, “let Mount Zion be glad … לְמַעַן מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ because of thy judgments;” Psalms 97:8, 122:8. God is often said to have done something לְמַעַן דָּוִד עַבְדּוֹ for the sake of David his servant, i.e. on account of his memory and the promises given to him, Isaiah 37:35; Psalms 132:10; 2 Kings 8:19, 19:34 חַסְדּוֹ לְמַעַן for his mercy’s sake, i.e. because of his mercy being what it is, Psalms 6:5, 25:7 44:27 (in the same sense is said כְּחַסְדְּךָ Psalms 25:7, 51:3 109:26 ); לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ for his name’s sake, what his name or character bids us to expect, (for God is regarded as being merciful, as has been well remarked by Winer), Psalms 23:3, 25:11 31:4. This meaning of the expression is very clear from the following examples: Psalms 109:21, עֲשֵׂה אִתִּי לְמַעַן שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּי טוֹב חַסְדְּךָ “do with me according to thy name, for great is thy loving kindness;” Psalms 143:11, לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ יְיָ תְּחַיֵּי֑נִי בְּצִדְקָתְךְ וגו׳ “for thy name’s sake, O Jehovah, keep me alive, according to thy righteousness,” or mercy. [?] But see another use of this phrase under letter b.-לְמַעַן צִדְקוֹ (God) “for his righteousness’ sake,” Isaiah 42:21.

(2) used of purpose and intention, which any one has in view. לְמַעַנְכֶם on your account, i.e. for your welfare, for your benefit, Isaiah 43:14, compare 45:4 63:7. לְמַעֲנִי on my account, for my sake, i.e. to vindicate my name, Isaiah 43:25, 48:11 in this sense there is said more explicitly תְּהִלָּתִי (לְמַעַן)לְמַעַן שְׁמִי … וּ “because of my name … and my glory,” Isaiah 48:9 compare לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ Psalms 79:9, which is immediately explained, עַל דְּבַר כְּבוֹד שְׁמֶךָ “on account of the glory of thy name,” and 106:8, לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ לְהוֹדִיעַ אֶת־גְּבוּרָתוֹ “for his name’s sake, that he might shew forth his power.” There is a different sense of this phrase in 1 Kings 8:41, “the stranger who comes from a land that is very far off לְמַעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ because of thy name,” i.e. to see thy glory. In the Psalms God is not unfrequently said or besought to do something “because of his enemies” Psalms 8:3 or because of the enemies of the Psalmist, Psalms 5:9, 27:11 69:19, i.e. that they may be put to shame, as though it were לְמַעַן יֵבשׁוּ.-Followed by an inf. with the intent that, Amos 2:7; Jeremiah 7:10, 44:8 Deuteronomy 29:18. In some instances interpreters have preferred understanding לְמַעַן of the event, rather than of the intent, rendering it so (i.e. with the result) that; but in this way the force of the language is wantonly destroyed. The idea of purpose or intent is always to be preserved, Am. loc. cit. “a father and son go in unto the same girl (harlot) לְמַעַן חַלֵּל אֶת־שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי in order to profane my holy name,” that is, with such atrocity and wantonness of wickedness do they advisedly, as it were, provoke the divine punishment; or, to use the Hebrew proverb, they draw punishment with cords of wickedness (Isaiah 5:18). Compare letter B, and see the observations of Fritzsche on the part. ἵνα, on Matth. p. 837.

(B) לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר Genesis 18:19; Leviticus 17:5; Numbers 17:5; Deuteronomy 20:18, 27:3 Joshua 3:4; 2 Samuel 13:5, etc., and without אֲשֶׁר: לְמַעַן conj. to the end that, followed by a fut. Genesis 27:25; Exodus 4:5; Isaiah 41:20 and so in all the instances. The following are some as to which doubts have been raised by interpreters. Genesis 18:19, כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה “for I have known (chosen) him (Abraham) that he may command,” etc. see יָדַע No. 7, b. Isaiah 66:11, “be glad with Jerusalem לְמַעַן תִּֽינְקוּ וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם that ye may suck and be satisfied,” etc. The meaning is, Declare yourselves as rejoicing with Jerusalem that ye may be admitted into fellowship of her joy and abundance. Hosea 8:4, “they make for themselves idols לְמַעַן יִכָּרֵת that they may be destroyed,” they rush, as it were, prone to their own destruction. Psalms 30:12, “thou hast turned my mourning into dancing … … 13 Ps3 0:13. that my heart may extol thee;” God is said to have done this. Isaiah 28:13, 36:12 44:9 Jeremiah 27:15 where some incorrectly understand לְמַעַן of the event, see a little above at the end of letter A. Τελικῶς are the words also to be taken, Psalms 51:6, “against thee only have I sinned … לְמַעַן תִּצְדַּק בְּדָבְרֶךָ that thou mayest be just in thy sentence;” to this end have I sinned that thy justice may be shown forth. [Rather perhaps, I make the confession to this end, etc.]

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