מַ֫עַן H6031a
To be occupied, to keep busy; Hiphil participle expressing God giving humanity tasks and preoccupations
This entry represents a unique use of a root (typically meaning 'to afflict') in Qoheleth's distinctive vocabulary. In Ecclesiastes 1:13 and 3:10, the Hiphil participle appears in the phrase 'the occupation/business God has given to humans to be occupied with.' Ecclesiastes 5:20 (Eng. 5:19) uses a related form: God 'keeps him occupied with joy in his heart,' giving preoccupation with gladness. The semantic development from 'afflict' to 'occupy' or 'keep busy' may involve the idea of tasking or burdening someone with activity. Qoheleth uses it to describe the human condition of busyness, the ceaseless round of tasks that fill existence. It's part of his exploration of what God has given humanity to do.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Three occurrences in Ecclesiastes exploring the theme of divinely appointed occupation. Ecclesiastes 1:13 introduces 'the unhappy business God has given,' while 3:10 speaks of 'the task God has given to humans to be busy with.' In 5:20, the nuance shifts positively: God keeps a person occupied with joy. The multilingual evidence shows varied handling, with some seeing the affliction root, others the occupation sense. Qoheleth's use emphasizes God's sovereignty over human activity—both the toilsome busyness and the joyful preoccupation are divine gifts or impositions. 3×
AR["بِهِ", "يَشْغَلُهُ"]·ben["উত্তর-দেন", "ব্যস্ত-থাকতে"]·DE["demuetigen", "von-antwortete"]·EN["keeps-busy", "to-be-occupied"]·FR["affliger", "à-affliger"]·heb["ל-ענות", "מענה"]·HI["उत्तर-देता-है", "लगे-रहने-के-लिए"]·ID["menjawab", "untuk-menyibukkan"]·IT["keeps-busy", "per-a-be-occupied", "per-a-essere-occupied"]·jav["kangge-dipunlampahi", "mangsuli"]·KO["수고하게", "응답하신다"]·PT["para-se-ocupar", "responde"]·RU["заниматься", "отвечает", "чтобы-заниматься"]·ES["para-ocuparse", "responde"]·SW["anajibu", "kujishughulisha", "kuwalemea"]·TR["mesgul-eder", "mesgul-olmak-icin"]·urd["مشغول-رکھتا-ہے", "مشغول-رہنے"]
Related Senses
H3045 1. Qal: to know, perceive, understand (829×)H5315 1. soul, inner being (647×)H3820a 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (572×)H4672 1. Qal: find, discover (289×)G1492 1. know facts or truths (285×)H3824 1. heart, inner self (mind/will/emotion) (250×)H1245 1. seek, search for (200×)G1097 1. know, be acquainted with (196×)H2142 1. Qal: remember, recall (173×)G2588 1. heart (inner self, mind, will) (158×)H0977 1. choose, select (Qal active) (145×)G2147 1. find, discover (144×)G5590 1. soul, inner self (100×)H4672 2. Niphal: be found, be discovered (99×)H1875 1. seek, search for (96×)H5315 2. life, vitality (94×)H1847 1. knowledge, discernment (90×)H2450 1. wise, prudent (84×)H7911 1. Qal: to forget (83×)H3684 1. fool, dullard (70×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
[מַ֫עַן] subst. purpose, intent, only with לְ, in לְמַ֫עַן271 prep. and conj. for the sake of, on account of, to the intent or in order that (abbrev. from מַעֲנֶה: cf. מַ֫עַל: Köii. 116);—with sf. לְמַעֲנִי, לְמַעַנְךָ, and לְמַעַנְכֶם;— 1. prep.:— a. Gn 18:24 wilt thou … not spare the place למען חמשׁים הצדיקים for the sake of the 50 righteous? Dt 30:6 ל׳ חַיֶּיךָ for thy life’s sake, 1 K 8:41…