Bible Dictionary
CAUSE
Cause may mean the reason, purpose, or occasion for something, often expressed in Scripture by phrases such as “for this cause,” “because of,” or “to this end.”
Definition
Cause may mean the reason, purpose, occasion, or end of an action. In biblical English it can introduce an explanation, a purpose, or a matter or affair.
Biblical Usage
Scripture uses expressions translated “for this cause,” “because of,” “therefore,” and “to this end.” The word may indicate divine purpose, a reason for an event, or the matter being discussed.
Historical Background
The English term translates several Hebrew and Greek phrases, including expressions meaning “in order that,” “because of,” “therefore,” and “for this.” In some older passages it also represents an affair or turn of affairs.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kos: In both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "for this cause" (the King James Version "cause") occurs in Ex 9:16 as the rendering of ba`abhur zo'th = "in order that"; "to the end that"; so also in Da 2:12 for kol-qebhel denah, and in 2Ch 32:20 the King James Version for `al-zo'th, where RVS read "because of." In the New Testament the word is used adverbially in the translation of several Greek phrases: heneka toutou (Mt 19:5; Mr 10:7); dia touto, Joh 12:27; Ro 1:26; 13:6; 15:9 (the Revised Version (British and American) "therefore"); 1Co 11:30; 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:11; 1Ti 1:16; Hebrews 9:15; eis touto, Joh 18:37 (where the King James Version varying the phraseology reads "to this end" "for this cause"); 1Pe 4:6 the King James Version; toutou charin, Eph 3:14. Unusual renderings occur, as "for his cause" (= "because of"), 2Co 7:12; as = "affair," "thing," obsolete in the King James Version 1Ki 12:15; 2Ch 10:15, where the word occurs as a paraphrase of necibbah (= "turn of affairs"). In 1Sa 25:31 (King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American)) "causeless" (= without cause the American Standard Revised Version) occurs arbitrarily in adverb sense.</p><p>W. N. Stearns</p>