§ 158. Causal Clauses.

a

A complete clause, assigning the reason for statements, demands, threats, &c., sometimes follows with the simple wÒaw copulative, e. g. y Ps 60:13 give us help against the adversary, and (for) vain is the help of man; Gn 6:17 (ynIa]w);), 22:12, Ex 23:9, Jb 22:12, perhaps also y Ps 7:10; or even without WaÒw, e. g. Gn 17:14. As a rule, however, special conjunctions in various combinations are used to introduce causal clauses.

b

The most common causal conjunctions are yKi ![;y:ò Is 3:16, &c., and rv,a] ![;y:ò because, prop. on account of the fact that; both, however, may also be shortened to the simple ![;y:ò Nu 20:12, &c., or to yKi because, Gn 3:14, 17, &c., or to rv,a] Gn 30:18, 31:49, 34:13, 27, 1 S 15:15, 20:42, 26:16, 23, 1 K 3:19, 8:33, Ho 14:4, Zc 1:15; also rv,a]B†; Gn 39:9, 23. On the other hand, the simple ![;y:ò is sometimes repeated for emphasis, ![;y:òbW ![;y:ò (something like the German sintemal und alldieweil) Lv 26:43, Ez 13:10 (without W 36:3); also rv,a]-l[; 2 S 3:30, and yKi-l[;1 Dt 31:17, Ju 3:12, Mal 2:14 on the ground that; rv,a] rb;D>-l[; because of the circumstance that, Dt 23:5; rv,a] tAdao-lK'-l[; for this very cause that, Jer 3:8. But just as the simple ![;y:ò is used for rv,a] ![;y:ò, so also the simple -l[; with the perfect stands for rv,a]-l[; y Ps 119:136, Ezr 3:11; cf. yliB.-'[; Gn 31:20 and yliB.mi Dt 28:55 both with the perfect, equivalent to because … not. — Cf. further rn<a] bq,[eñ Gn 22:18, 26:5, 2 S 12:6, all with the perfect, and yKi bq,[eñ (2 S 12:10 with the perfect; Am 4:12 with the imperfect) prop. in return for the fact that; similarly again the simple bq,[eñ Nu 14:24 with the perfect, and Dt 7:12, 8:20 with the imperfect; finally, rv,a]m†e Is 43:4 arising from the fact that,=because; rv,a] tx;T;ñ 1 S 26:21, &c., and yKi tx;T;ñ Dt 4:37, Pr 1:29 for the reason that.

c

Rem. 1. The preposition -l[; (because of, on account of) with the infinitive (§ 114 e) is frequently used as the equivalent of a full causal clause; cf. e. g. Am 1:3, 6, 13, 2:1, 6. Such a construction with the infinitive may, however, according to § 114 r, be continued by means of a finite verb, in which case -l[; governs the verb as a conjunction; e. g. Am 1:9 Wrk.†z" aolw> … ~r'yGIs.h;-l[; because they delivered up … and remembered not, &c.; 1:11, 2:4; without WaÒw, Is 30:14.

d

2. The choice of tense is regulated by the general principles stated in § 106 ff., viz. the perfect (cf. especially § 106 f) refers to causes already brought fully into effect, the imperfect to those which may contingently arise; cf. e. g. Dt 7:12, 8:20, 1 K 8:33, where the imperfect leaves the possibility still open that the persons addressed will perhaps escape the threatened punishments by avoiding disobedience. — Cf. further, § 111 h on the imperfect consecutive, and § 112 nn on the perfect consecutive in the apodosis to causal clauses.

Footnotes:

1[1] Also !Ke-l[;-yK†i prop. for therefore, Gn 18:5, 19:8, 33:10, 38:26, Nu 10:31, 14:43, 2 S 18:20 QereÖ, and !Ke-l[; rv,a] Jb 34:27, always mean forasmuch as.