מֵאֲשֶׁר17 H0834c
Compound relative preposition: from which/whom/where; than (comparative); because/since (causal)
The Hebrew compound preposition me'asher joins the separative min ('from') with the relative particle 'asher to create a versatile grammatical tool. In most occurrences it marks source or origin — 'from the one who,' 'from the place where' — as when Jacob's wealth came 'from what' belonged to Laban (Gen 31:1). It also functions comparatively, meaning 'more than,' as in the striking notice that the forest devoured more than the sword consumed (2 Sam 18:8). In two instances it has grammaticalized fully into a causal conjunction meaning 'because' or 'since' (Isa 43:4), a trajectory paralleled by French parce que and German weil.
Senses
1. from which/whom/where (source-relative) — The source-relative function: me'asher introduces a relative clause governed by the separative preposition min, yielding 'from which,' 'from whom,' or 'from the place where.' In Gen 31:1 the wealth Jacob gained 'from what belonged to our father' uses this construction, and in Exod 29:27 the priestly portions come 'from that which' was the ram of ordination. Spanish de lo que and French de lequel mirror the compound structure neatly. 10×
AR["عَمَّنْ", "مَا", "مِمَّا", "مِمّا", "مِنَ-الَّذِي", "مِنَ-الَّذِينَ", "مِنْ-حَيْثُ", "وَ-مِمّا"]·ben["-কি-থেকে", "-যদি-না", "এবং-থেকে-যা", "এবং-যা-থেকে", "থেকে-যা", "যাদের-থেকে", "যেখান-থেকে"]·DE["[מאשר]", "und-von-dem-was", "und-von-welcher", "von-was", "von-welcher", "von-wo"]·EN["and-from-that", "and-from-which", "from-those-who", "from-what", "from-where", "from-which", "from-who", "from-whom"]·FR["[מאשר]", "de-lequel", "de-où", "de-quoi", "et-de-ce", "et-de-lequel"]·heb["ו-מ-אשר", "מ-אשר"]·HI["उसका हाथ", "उसके", "उससे-जो", "और-उससे-जो", "जहा̃-से", "जो", "जो-से", "से-जो"]·ID["dan-dari-yang", "dari-mana", "dari-mereka-yang", "dari-yang"]·IT["[מאשר]", "da-che", "da-dove", "e-da-che", "e-da-quello"]·jav["ingkang", "lan-saking-ingkang", "lan-saking-punapa-ingkang", "menapa-ingkang", "saking-ingkang", "saking-punapa-ingkang", "saking-pundi"]·KO["-에서", "그것을-에서", "그리고-에서-그", "그리고-에서-그-", "로부터-그-", "에게서-그것은", "에서-그-", "에서-그-를", "에서-그것", "에서-누구에게서"]·PT["a-quem", "daquilo-que", "de-onde", "de-que", "do-que", "dos-que", "e-de-que"]·RU["где", "и-от-того-что", "из-тех-что", "из-того-что", "от-того-который", "от-того-что", "того-кому"]·ES["de-aquel-que", "de-donde", "de-lo-que", "de-los-que", "de-quien", "y-de-lo-que"]·SW["atamnyoshea", "kutoka-ambaye", "kutoka-kile-ambacho", "kutoka-kwa-yeye", "kutoka-mahali", "kutoka-miongoni-mwa-wale", "kutoka-nini", "na-kutoka-ambaye", "na-kutoka-kwa-vilivyokuwa"]·TR["-dan", "-dan-ki", "eğer-ki-", "hangisinden", "kim-ki", "kinden", "nerede", "seyleri", "ve-hangisinden", "ve-olanlardan"]·urd["-اُس-سے-جو", "اس-کے", "اور-اُس-سے-جو", "اور-جو", "جو", "جہاں-سے", "سے-جو"]
2. than (comparative-relative) — The comparative function: min carries its 'greater than' force through the relative clause, producing constructions like 'more than those who' or 'than that which.' The hailstones killed more than the sword (Josh 10:11); Samson slew more at his death than in his life (Judg 16:30). German als jene and Spanish mas que los que preserve the comparative particle plus relative pronoun pattern. Eccl 3:22 extends it philosophically. 5×
AR["أَكثَرُ", "إِلَّا-", "مِمَّنْ-مِنَ", "مِمّا-", "مِنَ-الَّذينَ"]·ben["ছাড়া-যে-", "তাদের-চেয়ে-যারা", "থেকে-যাদের", "যাদের-চেয়ে"]·DE["als-den", "als-jene", "als-wer", "mehr-als", "von-welcher"]·EN["more-than", "than-that", "than-those", "than-who", "than-whom"]·FR["de-qui", "plus-que", "que-ces", "que-que", "que-qui"]·heb["מ-אשר"]·HI["इससे-कि-", "उनसे-जो", "उनसे-ज्यादा", "उससे-जो", "मेअशर"]·ID["dari-apa-yang", "daripada-yang", "selain"]·IT["che-chi", "che-quelli", "da-dove", "di-chi", "più-di"]·jav["katimbang", "saking-ingkang", "saking-ingkang-", "tinimbang-ingkang"]·KO["그것-보다", "보다", "보다-그들", "보다-그들-은"]·PT["do-que", "mais-do-que", "mais-que", "senão-que"]·RU["более-чем", "лучше-чем", "чем", "чем-которые"]·ES["más-de-lo-que", "más-que", "más-que-los-que", "que-los-que"]·SW["kuliko", "kuliko-wale", "zaidi-ya"]·TR["-den-ki", "daha-çok", "den-ki", "hali-disinda"]·urd["اس-سے-کہ", "اُس-سے-زیادہ-جو", "اُن-سے", "اُن-سے-زیادہ-جو", "جو-سے"]
3. because (causal conjunction) — The causal-conjunction function: me'asher has grammaticalized into a subordinating conjunction meaning 'because' or 'since,' introducing a reason clause. In Isa 43:4 God declares 'since you are precious in my sight,' and in Num 6:11 the Nazirite offers a sacrifice 'because he sinned.' French parce que and German weil capture this logical subordination, showing how a spatial preposition can drift into causal territory across languages. 2×
AR["لِأَنَّكَ", "مِمَّا"]·ben["কারণ-যা", "যেহেতু"]·DE["[מאשר]", "weil"]·EN["Because", "because"]·FR["[מאשר]", "parce-que"]·heb["מ-אשר"]·HI["इससे-जो", "जब-से"]·ID["Karena", "karena"]·IT["[מאשר]", "perche"]·jav["Jalaran", "saking-punapa-ingkang"]·KO["에서", "에서-그것"]·PT["desde-que", "porque"]·RU["из-за-того-что", "потому-что"]·ES["de-que", "desde-que"]·SW["Kwa-sababu", "kutoka-ambaye"]·TR["-den-ki", "Cunku"]·urd["اُس-سے-جو", "چونکہ"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
מֵאֲשֶׁר17 a. from (or than) that which (him, them, etc., that …) Gn 31:1; Ex 29:27(×2) Nu 6:11 (see Lv 4:26) Jos 10:11; Ju 16:30; Is 47:13 +; than that … †Ec 3:22; לְבַד מֵאֲשֶׁר †Est 4:11. b. adv. from (the place) where: supr. 4 b (γ). c. conj. from (the fact) that …, since †Is 43:4.