H3651b H3651b
Therefore, for this reason — a pleonastic causal phrase emphasizing the ground or basis for an action.
The compound phrase ki 'al ken literally means 'for on-account-of-thus,' a rhetorically emphatic way of saying 'because' or 'for this very reason.' It appears in narrative contexts where a speaker underscores the rationale behind an action, as when Abraham tells his heavenly visitors to accept hospitality 'for this is why you have passed by your servant' (Gen 18:5). The phrase has a slightly archaic, formal quality, appearing in patriarchal narratives (Genesis 18, 19, 33, 38), wilderness accounts (Numbers 10, 14), and prophetic speech (Jeremiah 29, 38).
Senses
1. therefore, for this reason, on this account — A pleonastic causal conjunction meaning 'therefore, for this reason, on this account,' used to emphatically link a stated action to its underlying ground. Spanish 'así' and English 'so/thus' capture only part of the force; the Hebrew doubles the causal marker for rhetorical weight. In Genesis 18:5, Abraham urges hospitality because (ki 'al ken) this is the very purpose of the visitors' arrival. In Numbers 14:43, Moses warns of defeat because the people have turned away from Yahweh. The phrase appears nine times across Pentateuch, Judges, Samuel, and Jeremiah. 9×
AR["ذٰلِكَ", "لِذٰلِكَ", "هذا", "هَذَا", "هٰذَا"]·ben["এই", "এই-কারণে", "এই-জন্য", "এইজন্য", "এইরূপ", "কেন", "তাই", "সেই"]·DE["-", "seid-ihr", "sind-sie", "so"]·EN["so", "thus"]·FR["ainsi"]·heb["כן"]·HI["इसलिए", "इसी", "इसी-लिए", "ऐसा", "करन", "कारण", "कि"]·ID["demikian", "itu", "sebab-itu"]·IT["cosi", "così"]·jav["makaten", "mekaten", "punika"]·KO["그같이", "그래서", "그러므로", "그렇게", "까닭에"]·PT["assim", "isso", "isto"]·RU["именно", "сём-основании", "так", "то", "этом"]·ES["así", "esto", "tanto"]·SW["ambapo", "hivi", "hivyo", "kwa", "kwa-hiyo"]·TR["bu", "böyle", "öyle"]·urd["اسی-لئے", "اسی-لیے", "اِس", "اِسی-لیے"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as, a peculiar phrase found Gn 18:5; 19:8; 33:10; 38:26 Nu 10:31; 14:43 Ju 6:22 2 S 18:20 Qr (rightly), Je 29:28; 38:4—lit. for therefore, emphasizing the ground pleonastically (Ew§ 353 a). The orig. force of the phrase is traceable in some of the passages in which it occurs, as Gn 18:5 let me fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort your heart; כִּי־עַל־כֵּן עֲבַרְתֶּם עַל…