Peradventure

"peradventure; perhaps; suppose; if; less." The 43 occurrences of this word appear in every period of biblical Hebrew.

This word meaning "peradventure or perhaps" usually expresses a hope: "Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her" (Gen 16:2, the first occurrence). Elsewhere ’ûlay expresses fear or doubt: "Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land; must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?" (Gen 24:5).

If followed by another clause the word almost functions to introduce a protasis: "Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy…" (Gen 18:24). In Num 22:33 the word has a different force: "And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive."

primarily "quickly" (from tachus, "quick"), signifies "peradventure" in Rom 5:7; in Phm 1:15, "perhaps." See PERHAPS.

often written as two words, usually signifies "lest ever, lest haply, haply;" in indirect questions, "if haply" or "whether haply," e.g., Luk 3:15, RV; in Mat 25:9, RV, "peradventure" (AV, "lest"); "if peradventure," in 2Ti 2:25. See HAPLY.