H0834d H0834d
As, just as (comparative); when (temporal); because, since (causal); according to what; after
The compound conjunction ka'asher (literally 'as that which') is one of Hebrew's most versatile subordinators, built from the preposition ke ('as, like') and the relative particle asher. Its primary function is comparative — 'as God commanded Noah' (Gen 7:9) — but it readily slides into temporal territory ('when he had finished speaking,' Gen 18:33) and occasionally marks cause ('because they did not fear the LORD,' 2 Kgs 17:26). This functional range mirrors the well-known polysemy of 'as' in English and comme in French, both of which span comparison, time, and reason. Spanish distinguishes the senses more sharply: como for comparison, cuando for time, and porque for cause.
Senses
1. as, just as (comparative) — Comparative: 'as,' 'just as,' 'like' — the dominant sense at roughly 83% of occurrences, establishing correspondence between two situations. The formulaic ka'asher tsivvah ('as [the LORD] commanded') recurs throughout the Pentateuch (Gen 7:9, 7:16, Exod 39:1). French comme and German wie render this uniformly, while Korean cheoreom distinguishes it from temporal uses. 424×
AR["فَ-عَلَّقَهُ","كَما","كَمَا"]·ben["যেমন"]·DE["so-wie","wie","wie-"]·EN["as","as-","as-which","just-as"]·FR["comme","comme-","comme-lequel","juste-comme"]·heb["כ-אשר"]·HI["जैस","जैसा","जैसे"]·ID["sebagaimana","seperti","seperti-yang"]·IT["appena-come","come","come-","come-che"]·jav["kados","kados-ingkang","kados-punapa-ingkang"]·KO["~같이","같이","대로","때-에","때-처럼","에따라"]·PT["como","como-em","como-que","conforme"]·RU["как"]·ES["como"]·SW["akaamuru","akasema","alivyosema","kama","tafsiri"]·TR["gibi","gibi-ki","nasıl","nasıl-ki","ne"]·urd["جیسا","جیسا-کہ","جیسی","جیسے"]
2. when (temporal) — Temporal: 'when,' 'at the time that' — introducing a time clause. Abram entered Egypt 'when' (ka'asher) he drew near (Gen 12:11), and the LORD departed 'when' he finished speaking (Gen 18:33). Spanish cuando and German als clearly mark this temporal reading, separating it from comparative como/wie. 58×
AR["حينَ","حينَما","حِينَما","عِندَما","عِنْدَمَا","كَ-أَنْ","كَما","كَمَا","لَمَّا"]·ben["যখন","যখন-","যেমন"]·DE["als","als-","wenn","wie"]·EN["as","when"]·FR["comme","quand"]·heb["כ-אשר","כ-אשר-"]·HI["जब","जैसे"]·ID["ketika","ketika-","setelah"]·IT["come","quando"]·jav["nalika","nalika-ingkang"]·KO["~할-때에","같이","그","대로","때","때-에","때에"]·PT["como-que","quando"]·RU["когда","когда-"]·ES["cuando","que"]·SW["alipokaribia","alipomaliza","alipowaona","kama","kulingana-na","wakati","walipo-","walipokwisha-","walipotoka"]·TR["gibi","gibi-ki","gördüğünde","ki","nasıl","nasıl-","ne-zaman","ne-zaman-ki"]·urd["جب","جب-","جیسا","جیسے-ہی"]
3. and as, and just as (coordinated comparative) — Coordinated comparative: 'and as,' 'and just as' — the comparative sense preceded by the conjunction waw. Functionally identical to sense 1 but within coordinated clauses like 'and as you have dealt kindly' (Gen 26:29). French et-comme and German und-wie reflect the conjunction-plus-comparison structure. 21×
AR["[كَما]","كَ-أَشِرْ","كَما","كَما-","كَمَا-","كَمَن","وَ-كَـ-مَا","وَ-كَما","وَ-كَمَا","وَ-لَكِنْ-كَمَا","وَكَمَا","وَهَذَا","وَ‒كَمَا"]·ben["আর-যেমন","এবং-যেমন","ও-যেমন","তোমাকে","যেমন"]·DE["und-welcher","und-wie","und-wie-","und-wie-welcher","wie-welcher"]·EN["[as]","and-as","and-as-","and-as-that","and-as-when","and-as-which","and-just-as","as","as-one-who","as-when","just-as","like-the-one-who","when"]·FR["comme-comme","comme-qui","et-comme","et-comme-","et-juste-comme","et-qui"]·heb["ו-כ-אשר","ו-כאשר","כ-אשר","כ-כל"]·HI["[जैसा]","और-जैसा","और-जैसे","और-यदि","जैसा","जैसा-कि-मैं-था","जैसे"]·ID["Dan-semakin","Sebagaimana","Seperti","bagaimana","dan-jika","dan-sebagaimana","dan-seperti","dan-seperti-yang","seperti","seperti-yang"]·IT["come-che","come-come","e-appena-come","e-che","e-come","e-come-"]·jav["Kadosdene-nalika","Lan-kados-déné","[ketib]","kados","kados-dènè","kados-ingkang","kados-pundi","kadosdene","lan-kados","lan-kados-","lan-kados-anggenipun","lan-kados-ingkang","lan-menawi"]·KO["-같이","[모든-것-대로]","같이","같이-","같이-내가","그리고-같이","그리고-그대로","그리고-대로-그-","그리고-때-처럼","그리고-처럼","그리고-처럼-그것"]·PT["Como","Como-quando","E-como","[como]","como","como-aquele-que","como-o-que","e-como","e-como-que","e-conforme","quando"]·RU["[как]","Как","Но-чем-более","и-если","и-как","как","когда"]·ES["Como","Como-cuando","Y-como","[como]","como","como-el-que","como-quien","y-como","y-si"]·SW["Kama-alivyotoka","Kama-ambavyo","Na-kadiri","[kama]","jinsi","kama","kama-nilivyokuwa","kama-vile","na-kama","na-kama-alivyo","na-kama-vile","nilivyopanga","nimeangamia"]·TR["Olduğum-gibi","Ve-ne-kadar","gibi","gördüğüm-gibi","nasil","nasıl-","oldugu-gibi","ve-dediği-gibi","ve-eğer-","ve-gibi","ve-gibi-ki","ve-nasil","ve-nasıl-ki","ve-nasıl-ki-"]·urd["[جیسے]","اور-جو","اور-جیسا","اور-جیسا-کہ","اور-جیسے","جیسا","جیسے-وہ-جو"]
Gen 26:29, Exod 1:12, Num 14:19, Deut 29:13, Josh 10:39, Judg 2:15, 2 Chr 21:7, Esth 4:16, Esth 9:31, Job 4:8, Job 29:4, Job 29:25 (+9 more)
4. and when (coordinated temporal) — Coordinated temporal: 'and when' — the temporal sense preceded by waw. Only three occurrences, including 'and when Moses held up his hand' (Exod 17:11) and 'and when your servants ask' (Ezek 37:18). Spanish y-cuando and German und-als mark both the coordination and the temporality. 3×
AR["وَ-عِنْدَمَا","وَعِندَما","وَعِنْدَمَا"]·ben["আর-যখন","এবং-যখন"]·DE["und-als","und-wann","und-welcher"]·EN["and-when"]·FR["et-quand","et-qui"]·heb["ו-כ-אשר"]·HI["और-जब"]·ID["dan-ketika"]·IT["e-che","e-quando"]·jav["lan-nalika"]·KO["그리고-그가","그리고-때-같이","그리고-때에"]·PT["E-quando","e-quando"]·RU["и-когда"]·ES["Y-cuando","y-cuando","¿y-cuando"]·SW["Na-watakaposema","lakini-wakati","na-wakati"]·TR["ve-dediğinde","ve-ne-zaman-ki","ve-öldüğünde"]·urd["اور-جب"]
5. because, since (causal) — Causal: 'because,' 'since,' 'inasmuch as' — providing the reason for the main clause. In Josh 6:22 and 2 Kgs 17:26, ka'asher introduces the ground for an action. Spanish porque and German weil unambiguously signal causation, confirming this as a distinct sense rather than a comparative reading. 3×
AR["لَمّا","لِأَنَّهُمْ","ما"]·ben["কারণ-","যা-","যেহেতু"]·DE["jenes-","weil"]·EN["because","that-"]·FR["ce-","parce-que"]·heb["אשר-","כ-אשר"]·HI["जैसा","जैसे","जो"]·ID["karena","yang-"]·IT["perché","quello-"]·jav["amargi","ingkang","kados-ingkang"]·KO["그것을","그들이","때문에"]·PT["como","porque","que"]·RU["потому-что","что-"]·ES["como","lo-que","porque"]·SW["kwa-sababu","walio-"]·TR["de-boğayı","ne-","çünkü"]·urd["جو-","جیسا","کیونکہ"]
6. according to what (conformity) — Conformity: 'according to what,' 'in accordance with' — expressing compliance with a standard or instruction. Jephthah's daughter says 'do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth' (Judg 11:36). Spanish conforme a lo que isolates this nuance of conformity from simple comparison. 2×
AR["كَ-الَّذي","كَما-"]·ben["যেমন"]·DE["gemaess-zu-was"]·EN["according-to-what"]·FR["selon-à-quoi"]·heb["כ-אשר"]·HI["जैसा"]·ID["seperti"]·IT["secondo-a-che-cosa","secondo-ciò-che"]·jav["kados","kados-ingkang"]·KO["대로","처럼-"]·PT["como-que","conforme"]·RU["как"]·ES["como","conforme-a-lo-que"]·SW["kama"]·TR["gibi","ne-gibi"]·urd["جیسا","جیسے"]
7. after (temporal sequence) — Temporal sequence: 'after' — marking that the main clause follows the subordinate event. Only one occurrence in Ps 51:1 (superscription: 'after he had gone in to Bathsheba'). Spanish cuando and German nach render the sequential meaning, distinguishing it from simultaneous temporal 'when.' 1×
AR["حِينَمَا"]·ben["যখন-"]·DE["nach"]·EN["after"]·FR["comme-qui"]·heb["כ-אשר-"]·HI["जैसा"]·IT["come-che"]·KO["~처럼"]·PT["quando"]·RU["когда-"]·ES["cuando-"]·SW["baada-ya-"]·TR["sonra-"]·urd["جیسا-کہ"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† כַּאֲשֶׁר conj. according as, as, when (cf. for the combin. Aramaic כְּדִי, כַּר)— 1. according to that which, according as, as: a. Gn 34:12 I will give כאשׁר תאמרו אלי according as ye shall (or may) say unto me, 44:1 Ex 8:23 Nu 22:8 1 S 2:16; Gn 34:22 if we are circumcised כאשׁר הם נמולים; 41:21 כאשׁר בתחלה as at the beginning, so כ׳ בראשׁונה Jos 8:5, 6 2 S 7:10; Ex 5:13 כאשׁר בהיות התבן: Gn…