What does מָאֵן (māʾēn) mean in the Bible?
מָאֵן (māʾēn): To refuse persistently or firmly; often conveys stubborn resistance to divine will or covenant obligation
Hebrew · H3985
מָאֵן
To refuse
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מָאֵן H3985
Pronunciation māʾēn
What does מָאֵן (māʾēn) mean in the Bible?
מָאֵן (māʾēn): To refuse persistently or firmly; often conveys stubborn resistance to divine will or covenant obligation
Full entry for מָאֵן (H3985) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H3985?
The BSB source-word alignment has 41 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include refused (8), they refuse (4), but he refused (3), and refused (2), but they refused (2).
Where does מָאֵן (māʾēn) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 37:35. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (10), Exodus (6), Genesis (3), Numbers (3).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It refused 8× Genesis 48:19, Numbers 20:21, Numbers 22:14, 1 Samuel 8:19
they refuse 4× Proverbs 21:7, Jeremiah 8:5, Jeremiah 9:6, Jeremiah 25:28
but he refused 3× Genesis 37:35, Genesis 39:8, 2 Samuel 13:9
and refused 2× Psalms 78:10, Jeremiah 5:3
but they refused 2× Jeremiah 5:3, Zechariah 7:11
refuses 2× Deuteronomy 25:7, Job 6:7
refusing 2× Jeremiah 15:18, Jeremiah 50:33
They refused 2× Nehemiah 9:17, Hosea 11:5
will you refuse 2× Exodus 10:3, Exodus 16:28
. . . 1× Exodus 22:17
[and] refusing 1× Jeremiah 31:15
absolutely refuses 1× Exodus 22:17
But [since] you have refused 1× Exodus 4:23
But [the man] refused 1× 1 Kings 20:35
But Asahel refused 1× 2 Samuel 2:23
has refused 1× Numbers 22:13
he refused 1× 2 Kings 5:16
he refuses 1× Exodus 7:14
refuse 1× Proverbs 21:25
Saul refused 1× 1 Samuel 28:23
you refuse 1× Jeremiah 3:3
you refused 1× Proverbs 1:24
you resist 1× Isaiah 1:20
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 37:35 וַיְמָאֵן֙ to but he refused Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 39:8 וַיְמָאֵ֓ן׀ to But he refused Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 48:19 וַיְמָאֵ֣ן to refused Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 4:23 וַתְּמָאֵ֖ן to But [since] you have refused Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular Exodus 7:14 מֵאֵ֖ן to he refuses Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Exodus 10:3 מֵאַ֔נְתָּ to will you refuse Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular Exodus 16:28 מֵֽאַנְתֶּ֔ם to will you refuse Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine plural Exodus 22:17 מָאֵ֧ן to absolutely refuses Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute Exodus 22:17 יְמָאֵ֛ן to . . . Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Numbers 20:21 וַיְמָאֵ֣ן׀ to refused Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 37:35
Aligned rows 41
Books represented 17
Genesis 3 Exodus 6 Numbers 3 Deuteronomy 1 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 2 1 Kings 2 2 Kings 1 Nehemiah 1 Esther 1 Job 1 Psalms 2 Proverbs 3 Isaiah 1 Jeremiah 10 Hosea 1 Zechariah 1
Source forms
מֵאֲנ֖וּ 6x mê·’ă·nū Proverbs 21:25, Jeremiah 5:3, Jeremiah 8:5, Jeremiah 50:33
וַיְמָאֲנ֣וּ 3x way·mā·’ă·nū 1 Samuel 8:19, Nehemiah 9:17, Zechariah 7:11
וַיְמָאֵ֣ן 2x way·mā·’ên Genesis 48:19, 2 Samuel 2:23
מֵאֲנ֥וּ 2x mê·’ă·nū Psalms 78:10, Jeremiah 9:6
וַיְמָאֵן֙ 1x way·mā·’ên Genesis 37:35
וַיְמָאֵ֗ן 1x way·mā·’ên 1 Samuel 28:23
וַיְמָאֵ֖ן 1x way·mā·’ên 2 Samuel 13:9
וַיְמָאֵ֥ן 1x way·mā·’ên 1 Kings 20:35
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural 10x Psalms 78:10, Proverbs 21:7, Proverbs 21:25, Jeremiah 5:3
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular 9x Genesis 37:35, Genesis 39:8, Genesis 48:19, Numbers 20:21
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular 5x Exodus 7:14, Numbers 22:13, Numbers 22:14, Deuteronomy 25:7
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person feminine singular 4x Job 6:7, Psalms 77:2, Jeremiah 15:18, Jeremiah 31:15
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 3x 1 Samuel 8:19, Nehemiah 9:17, Zechariah 7:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine plural 1x Proverbs 1:24
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular 1x Exodus 4:23
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular 1x Esther 1:12
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. To refuse persistently or firmly; often conveys stubborn resistance to divine will or covenant obligation
Strong's H3985
Lexical occurrences 41 verses Word forms 1 form 26 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Proverbs 21:7 Source Gloss
to refuse
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
To refuse persistently or firmly; often conveys stubborn resistance to divine will or covenant obligation
to refuse BDB: refuse Usage: refuse, × utterly.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 1 Aligned forms 26
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 3×
Infinitive absolute Exod 22:16 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
The wicked refuse to do justice, describing deliberate rejection of righteous conduct
Showing 1 selected witness from 41 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
מָאֵן is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain