יַ֫עַן96 H3282
Because, since, inasmuch as — a causal conjunction introducing the ground or reason for a statement, especially in prophetic judgment oracles
Ya'an is a causal conjunction appearing 99 times, heavily concentrated in prophetic literature where it introduces the grounds for divine judgment. Its most characteristic pattern is the ya'an...laken ('because...therefore') construction: the prophet states the offense with ya'an, then announces the consequence with laken. Ezekiel alone accounts for nearly half the occurrences, using it to arraign nations and individuals alike — 'because you said the temple of the LORD' (Ezek 25:3), 'because Tyre said against Jerusalem' (26:2). Outside prophecy, it appears in key covenant texts like Genesis 22:16 ('because you have done this') and Numbers 20:12 ('because you did not trust me').
Senses
1. because, since, inasmuch as — A causal conjunction meaning 'because, since, inasmuch as,' typically introducing the reason or charge in prophetic judgment oracles. The hallmark pattern is ya'an...laken ('because...therefore'), stating the offense before pronouncing the sentence (Ezek 25:3; 26:2; 28:2). Spanish 'por cuanto/porque,' French 'parce que,' and German 'weil' capture the causal force. Key non-prophetic occurrences include God's response to Abraham's obedience — 'because you have done this thing' (Gen 22:16) — and the verdict against Moses at Meribah (Num 20:12), showing the conjunction's role in covenant reasoning as well as judicial pronouncement. 99×
AR["بِمَا", "بِمَا-أَنَّ", "بِمَا-أَنَّكَ", "لأَنَّ", "لأَنَّهُ", "لِأنَّهُ", "لِأَنَّ", "لِأَنَّكُمَا", "لِأَنَّكُمْ"]·ben["কারণ", "যেহেতু"]·DE["weil"]·EN["because"]·FR["parce-que"]·heb["יען"]·HI["इसलिए", "इसलिए-कि", "और-उसके-पुत्रों-को", "कारण", "क्युनकि", "क्योंकि", "क्योनकि"]·ID["Karena", "Oleh-karena", "dan-oleh-karena", "karena", "oleh karena", "oleh-karena"]·IT["perche", "perché"]·jav["amargi", "jalaran"]·KO["-때문에", "까닭은", "때문에", "왜냐하면", "인하여"]·PT["Por-causa-de", "Porque", "Visto-que", "porquanto", "porque", "¶ porque"]·RU["за-то-что", "потому-что", "так-как"]·ES["Por-cuanto", "Porque", "por-cuanto", "porque"]·SW["ilikuwa", "kwa", "kwa-sababu", "uliomba"]·TR["dolayı", "çünkü"]·urd["اس-لئے-کہ", "اس-لیے-کہ", "اِس-لیے-کہ", "اِس-وجہ-سے-کہ", "چونکہ", "کیونکہ"]
Gen 22:16, Lev 26:43, Num 11:20, Num 20:12, Deut 1:36, Josh 14:14, Judg 2:20, 1 Sam 15:23, 1 Sam 30:22, 1 Kgs 3:11, 1 Kgs 8:18, 1 Kgs 11:11 (+38 more)
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
יַ֫עַן96 proposes subst., purpose, intention, but always used as prep. or conj., on account of, because (for יַעֲנֶה, of the form יִצְהָר, etc., Sta§ 259 Köii. 403; cf. عَنَى mean, intend):— 1. as prep., rarely with a subst., †Ez 5:9 יַעַן תּוֹעֲבוֹתֵיכֶם, Hg 1:9 יַעַן מָה, v 9 יַעַן בֵּיתִי; with a ptcp. Ez 36:13 יען אמרים because of men saying to you (but read prob. אָמְרָם, Co Toy Berthol);…