THE CAUSAL SENTENCE
§ 147. A lighter way of suggesting causality is afforded by and, especially in circums. clauses. Ex. 23:9, ye shall not oppress a stranger וְאַתֶּם יְדַעְתֶּם נֶפֶשׁ הַגֵּר because yourselves know the feelings of a stranger; cf. Neh. 2:3, Cf. § 137.
Commonly used is כִּי because, Gen. 8:9. Similarly, אֲשֶׁר Gen. 30:18, 1 S. 26:16, 1 K. 3:19, 2 K. 17:4, (both, Zech. 11:2), Jer. 20:17. — Also the prep. יַעַן coupled with rel. אשׁר or כי. Is. 7:5 יַעַן כִּי־יָעַץ רָעָה because he has purposed evil. The phrase is affected by Is., 3:16; 8:6; 29:13; elsewhere, Nu. 11:20, 1 K. 13:21; 21:29 (always with perf.). Very common יען אשׁר; 1 S. 30:22 יַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא הָֽלְכוּ עִמִּי because they went not with me. Gen. 22:16, Deu. 1:36, Jud. 2:20, 1 K. 3:11; 14:7, 15 (always with perf. — except Ez. 12:12?). Also יַעַן simply as conj., Nu. 20:12 יַעַן לֹא הֶֽאֱמַנְתֶּם because ye believed not, 1 K. 14:13, 2 K. 22:19. As a prep. with inf., Is. 30:12 יַעַן מָֽאָסְכֶם because of your rejecting, 37:29, Jer. 5:14; 7:13; 23:38, Am. 5:11, &c. — only in the prophets and 1 K. 21:20.
Rem. 1. Several prep. have causal force, as בְּ, מִן, עַל, תַּחַת, mostly in composition with אשׁר or כי. Gen. 39:9 בַּֽאֲשֶׁר אַתְּ אִשְׁתּוֹ because thou art his wife; v. 23. Is. 43:4 מֵֽאֲשֶׁר יָקַרְתָּ because thou art dear. 2 S. 3:30 עַל אֲשֶׁר הֵמִית because he slew. Deu. 29:24, 1 K. 9:9; neg., עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא 2 K. 18:12; 22:13. So עַל כִּי Jud. 3:12, Deu. 31:17 (nominal sent.), Ps. 139:14. With rel. omitted in neg. sent., Gen. 31:20, Ps. 119:136. Often עַל with inf., Am. 1:3, 6, 9, 11, &c. — So תַּחַת אשׁר, Deu. 28:47 תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר לֹא עָבַדְתָּ because thou hast not served. 1 S. 26:21, 2 K. 22:17, Is. 53:12. So תַּחַת כִּי, Deu. 4:37 — Of the same meaning is עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר, Gen. 22:18; 26:5, 2 S. 12:6 (על אשׁר in next clause). So עֵקֶב כִּי, Am. 4:12, 2 S. 12:10. Without rel., Nu. 14:24. For other forms cf. Deu. 23:5, Jer. 3:8.
Rem. 2. Repetition of יַעַן for emphasis, Lev. 26:43, Ez. 13:10, cf. 36:3.
