פֵּן

H6435. pen
מֶּןֿ133 (always with Makkeph **except Gen 38:23; Gen 44:34; Deu 7:25; Deu 32:27 [not Gi], Isa 27:3; Pro 25:8: MandelkernConc. under the word.)
conjunction (averting, or deprecating), lest (origin dubious: Thes Köii. 334 from מָּנָה, properly substantive construct in accusative for the aversion of; but פָנָה is intransitive: NöM. 474 compares the enclitic particle מּוֺן in ᵑ7, then ἄν, 'etwa,' thinking that a particle with the meaning 'es möchte etwa,' spoken in a tone of alarm, might readily acquire a deprecatory force); — lest:
1 with imperfect Gen 3:3 ye shall not eat thereof . . . מֶּןתְּֿמֻתוּן lest ye die, Gen 11:4 let us build a city מֶּןנָֿפוּץ lest we be scattered, Gen 19:15, Gen 19:17, Gen 19:19; Gen 38:23; Gen 45: Exo 1:10; Exo 23:29; Exo 23:33 etc., 2Ki 10:23 (followed by יֵשׁ), Isa 6:10; Isa 27:3; Isa 28:22; Isa 48:5, Isa 48:7; Psa 2:12; Psa 7:3 etc.; often after הִשָׁמֶרלְֿךָ take heed to thyself Gen 24:6; Gen 31:24, and especially in Deuteronomy, as Deu 4:9, Deu 4:23; Deu 6:12; Deu 8:11 and elsewhere; after a verb of fearing Gen 32:12, and once, even, of swearing Jdg 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, Pro 5:6 מֶּןתְּֿפַלֵּס חַיִּים אֹרַח 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 מֶּןֿ (אָמַרְתִּי) אָמַר כִּי 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; Exo 13:17; Num 16:34; 1Sa 13:19; 1Sa 27:11 (לֵאמֹר), Psa 38:17; with אמר כי 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 Gen 3:23): compare Tob 8:9.
b. מֶּןֿ at the beginning of a sentence, with a dissuasive force, (Beware) lest: + Isa 36:18 חזקיהו אֶתְכֶם מֶּןיַֿסִּית (beware) lest Hezekiah deceive you, Deu 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; 2Sa 20:6 pursue after him, וְהִצִּיל ֗֗֗ לוֺ מֶּןמָֿצָא lest he have found him fenced cities, etc. (but the tense of והציל makes יִמְצָא probably, Drsm Bu Köiii. 486), 2Ki 2:16 י רוּחַ ׳מֶּןנְֿשָׂאוֺ וגו ׳וַיַּשְׁלִכֵהוּ.