BDB6677 [H6435]

1. with imperfect Gen 3:3 ye shall not eat thereof . . . פֶּןתְּֿמֻתוּן lest ye die, Gen 11:4 let us build a city פֶּןנָֿפוּץ lest we be scattered, Gen 19:15; Gen 19:17; Gen 19:19; Gen 38:23; Gen 45:1l Exod 1:10; Exod 23:29; Exod 23:33 etc., 2Kgs 10:23 (followed by יֵשׁ), Isa 6:10; Isa 27:3; Isa 28:22; Isa 48:5; Isa 48:7; Ps 2:12; Ps 7:3 etc.; often after הִשָׁמֶרלְֿךָ take heed to thyself Gen 24:6; Gen 31:24, and especially in Deuteronomy, as Deut 4:9; Deut 4:23; Deut 6:12; Deut 8:11 and elsewhere; after a verb of fearing Gen 32:12, and once, even, of swearing Judg 15:12 deprecating pathetically, Gen 44:34 how shall I go up, etc.? lest I look upon the evil that will befal my father. Once, unusually, preceding the principal clause, Prov 5:6 אֹרַח חַיִּים פֶּןתְּֿפַלֵּס lest she should make level the path of life, her ways are unstable, etc. (Ew Be Now; see also Toy). Note especially
\ \ a. the idiom כִּי אָמַר (אָמַרְתִּי) פֶּןֿ for he (I) said, Lest..., implying always that some precaution has been taken to avert the dreaded contingency, Gen 26:9 for I said, Lest I die on account of her (to obviate which, Isaac had called Rebecca his sister), Gen 31:31; Gen 38:11; Gen 42:4; Exod 13:17; Num 16:34; 1Sam 13:19; 1Sam 27:11 (לֵאמֹר), Ps 38:17 with כי אמר implied Gen 26:7 compare, with an aposiop., Gen 3:22 and now, lest he put forth his hand, etc. (implying that measures are taken to prevent this, see vGen 3:23): compare Tob 8:9.
\ \ b. פֶּןֿ at the beginning of a sentence, with a dissuasive force, (Beware) lest: + Isa 36:18 פֶּןיַֿסִּית אֶתְכֶם חזקיהו (beware) lest Hezekiah deceive you, Deut 29:17 (twice in verse) (followed by יֵשׁ), Jer 51:46; Job 32:13; Job 36:18.

2. with Perfect, the result feared being conceived as having possibly already taken place; 2Sam 20:6 pursue after him, פֶּןמָֿצָא לוֺ ֗֗֗ וְהִצִּיל lest he have found him fenced cities, etc. (but the tense of והציל makes יִמְצָא probably, Dr^sm Bu Kö^{iii. 486}), 2Kgs 2:16 ׳וַיַּשְׁלִכֵהוּ וגו ׳פֶּןנְֿשָׂאוֺ רוּחַ י.