Hebrew · H3985, G544 · unreviewed

מָאֵן

To refuse · to disbelieve (wilfully and perversely)

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Words in this compound — expand to study each participant

מָאֵן H3985 to refuse
Pronunciation māʾēn
To refuse persistently or firmly; often conveys stubborn resistance to divine will or covenant obligation
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ἀπειθέω G544 to disbelieve (wilfully and perversely)
Pronunciation apeithéō
Willful disobedience rooted in stubborn refusal to believe or submit to God's word.
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What does מָאֵן (ma'en) mean in the Bible?

מָאֵן · ἀπειθέω is a Hebrew word meaning "to refuse, reject, refuse consent".

Full entry for מָאֵן (H3985, G544) · Browse the biblical lexicon

Meaning

to refuse, reject, refuse consent
Grammatical Forms

How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.

Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 26×
Perfect Hos 11:5 · Jer 5:3 · Jer 8:5 · Jer 9:5 · Jer 11:10 · Jer 50:33 · Prov 21:7 · Prov 21:25 · Ps 78:10 · 1Kgs 21:15 · Deut 25:7 · Exod 7:14 · Num 22:13 · Num 22:14 · Jer 15:18 · Jer 31:15 22×
Imperfect Exod 22:16 · Isa 1:20 · Jer 25:28
Infinitive absolute Exod 22:16
Hebrew Verb Forms

How this verb appears across 26 occurrences in the Hebrew OT (OSHB Leningrad Codex).

Aspect / Form
Perfect 22 Imperfect 3 Infinitive absolute 1
Stem
Piel 26
Mood
Indicative 22 Indicative/jussive 3

Aspect in Hebrew reflects grammatical form, not tense. "Perfect" (Perfective) typically denotes completed action; "Imperfect" (Imperfective) denotes incomplete or ongoing action. Stem modifies the action type (Qal=simple, Niphal=passive, Piel=intensive, etc.).

Morphology: OSHB WLC (Open Scriptures, CC BY 4.0) · STEPBible TEHMC (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0)

Word Pictures (Robertson)

A.T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) discusses this term in the following chapters. Open any chapter and go to the Word Pictures tab to read his verse-by-verse commentary.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (1930–31) — public domain

Sources