What does פֵּן (pēn) mean in the Bible?
פֵּן (pēn): Expresses cautionary negation: marks feared consequence or preventive intent to avoid undesired outcome.
Hebrew · H6435
פֵּן
Properly, removal ; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest
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פֵּןH6435
Pronunciationpēn
What does פֵּן (pēn) mean in the Bible?
פֵּן (pēn): Expresses cautionary negation: marks feared consequence or preventive intent to avoid undesired outcome.
Full entry for פֵּן (H6435) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H6435?
The BSB source-word alignment has 133 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include or (38), lest (21), Otherwise (19), not (8), . . . (6).
Where does פֵּן (pēn) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 3:3. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (28), Proverbs (18), Genesis (17), Exodus (13).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itor38×Genesis 19:15, Genesis 19:17, Exodus 1:10, Exodus 5:3
lest21×Genesis 3:22, Exodus 23:33, Exodus 34:12, Deuteronomy 25:3
Otherwise19×Genesis 38:23, Genesis 45:11, Exodus 23:29, Exodus 33:3
not8×Genesis 31:24, Exodus 19:21, Exodus 34:12, Deuteronomy 6:12
. . .6×Genesis 19:19, Genesis 31:31, Exodus 13:17, Deuteronomy 32:27
Do not4×Exodus 34:15, Deuteronomy 4:23, Deuteronomy 12:30, Jeremiah 51:46
no3×Deuteronomy 29:18, 2 Kings 10:23
may2×Genesis 38:11, Numbers 16:34
that you do not2×Genesis 24:6, Deuteronomy 4:16
[or]1×Genesis 3:3
and not1×Genesis 11:4
and so that they do not1×Deuteronomy 4:9
do not be1×Deuteronomy 4:19
Do not let1×Isaiah 36:18
for [the Chaldeans]1×Jeremiah 38:19
For if1×Psalms 28:1
I am afraid that1×Genesis 42:4
I could not bear1×Genesis 44:34
I might1×Genesis 26:9
if you do1×Deuteronomy 22:9
if you ever1×Joshua 24:27
Let them not1×Psalms 38:16
must not be allowed1×1 Samuel 13:19
not to harbor1×Deuteronomy 15:9
Perhaps1×2 Kings 2:16
She does not1×Proverbs 5:6
since he thought to himself1×Genesis 26:7
So do not1×Job 32:13
so no one1×Isaiah 27:3
so that you could not1×Isaiah 48:5
so that you do not1×Deuteronomy 4:9
so that you will not1×Psalms 91:12
So you cannot1×Isaiah 48:7
that1×Judges 15:12
that no one1×Job 36:18
that you are not1×Deuteronomy 11:16
vvv1×Genesis 32:11
will not1×Joshua 2:16
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 3:3פֶּן־to[or]ConjunctionGenesis 3:22פֶּן־tolestConjunctionGenesis 11:4פֶּן־toand notConjunctionGenesis 19:15פֶּן־toorConjunctionGenesis 19:17פֶּן־toorConjunctionGenesis 19:19פֶּן־to. . .ConjunctionGenesis 24:6פֶּן־tothat you do notConjunctionGenesis 26:7פֶּן־tosince he thought to himselfConjunctionGenesis 26:9פֶּן־toI mightConjunctionGenesis 31:24פֶּן־tonotConjunction
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 3:3
Aligned rows133
Books represented20
Genesis17Exodus13Leviticus1Numbers3Deuteronomy28Joshua3Judges5Ruth11 Samuel72 Samuel62 Kings21 Chronicles1Job2Psalms9Proverbs18Isaiah6Jeremiah8Hosea1Amos1Malachi1
Source forms
פֶּן־97xpen-Genesis 3:3, Genesis 3:22, Genesis 11:4, Genesis 19:15
פֶּֽן־19xpen-Exodus 13:17, Deuteronomy 4:23, Deuteronomy 12:13, Deuteronomy 12:19
פֶּ֚ן6xpenGenesis 44:34, Deuteronomy 7:25, 1 Samuel 4:9, 1 Samuel 13:19
וּפֶן־4xū·p̄en-Deuteronomy 4:9, Deuteronomy 4:19, Deuteronomy 12:30, Jeremiah 51:46
פֶּ֥ן2xpenDeuteronomy 11:16, Proverbs 30:9
פֶּ֨ן־2xpen-Exodus 5:3, Deuteronomy 4:16
וּפֶֽן־1xū·p̄en-Proverbs 30:9
פֶּ֖ן1xpenGenesis 38:23
Parsing patterns
Conjunction133xGenesis 3:3, Genesis 3:22, Genesis 11:4, Genesis 19:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Expresses cautionary negation: marks feared consequence or preventive intent to avoid undesired outcome.
Source Gloss
properly, removal ; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Expresses cautionary negation: marks feared consequence or preventive intent to avoid undesired outcome.
properly, removal; used only (in the construction) adverb as conjunction, lest BDB: lest Usage: (lest) (peradventure), that...not.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Conditional warning to prevent negative consequence from excess consumption
Cautionary conjunction preventing friendship from becoming burdensome through overvisitation
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 133 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
פֵּן is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.