H3985 H3985
refuse, be unwilling — Piel verb expressing deliberate refusal or obstinate unwillingness to comply
Ma'en in the Piel means 'to refuse' or 'to be unwilling,' expressing a deliberate act of will rather than mere inability. Its 41 occurrences paint a portrait of human stubbornness before divine command, rival authority, or social expectation. The word appears first with Jacob, who 'refused to be comforted' over Joseph (Gen 37:35), and with Joseph himself, who 'refused' Potiphar's wife (Gen 39:8) — two very different refusals illuminating the word's moral range. The Exodus narrative turns it into a confrontation formula: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?' (Exod 10:3). Pharaoh's repeated refusal (Exod 7:14; 9:2; 10:4) becomes the paradigmatic case of human obstinacy against God. Prophetic literature extends this: Israel 'refused to repent' (Jer 5:3; 8:5), 'refused to know me' (Jer 9:5), 'refused to be ashamed' (Jer 3:3).
Senses
1. refuse, be unwilling — To refuse or decline with deliberate intent, expressing willful unwillingness rather than incapacity. The word spans a moral spectrum: from righteous refusal (Joseph refusing adultery, Gen 39:8; the man of God refusing reward, 1 Kgs 20:35) to culpable obstinacy (Pharaoh refusing to let Israel go, Exod 7:14; 9:2; 10:3-4; Israel refusing to repent, Jer 5:3; 8:5; 15:18). Typically takes an infinitive with lamed for the refused action. Rachel's 'refusing to be comforted' (Gen 37:35; Jer 31:15) shows emotional intensity beyond mere decision. Spanish 'rehusar,' French 'refuser,' German 'sich weigern' capture the volitional core. 41×
AR["أَبَوْا", "فَ-أَبى", "فَ-أَبَوْا", "فَ-أَبَى", "فَأَبى", "فَأَبَوْا", "فَأَبَى", "وَ-أَبَى", "وَرَفَضَ"]·ben["অস্বীকার-করে", "অস্বীকার-করে-তারা", "অস্বীকার-করেছিল", "অস্বীকার-করেছে", "আর-অস্বীকার-করল", "আর-অস্বীকার-করলেন", "আর-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করল", "এবং-অস্বীকার-করল", "এবং-অস্বীকার-করলেন", "এবং-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করল", "কিন্তু-তিনি-অস্বীকার-করলেন", "কিন্তু-সে-অস্বীকার-করল", "তারা-অস্বীকার-করেছে", "তারা-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছিল", "প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছে"]·DE["[וימאנו]", "[מאנו]", "aber-er-weigerte-sich", "sie-refused", "sie-weigerten-sich", "und-er-refused", "und-es-weigerte-sich", "und-refused", "und-sie-refused", "und-verweigerte", "und-weigerte-sich"]·EN["and-he-refused", "and-refused", "and-they-refused", "refused", "they-refuse", "they-refused"]·FR["[וימאנו]", "de-refuser", "et-il-refused", "et-ils-refused", "et-refusa", "et-refused", "et-refuser", "refuser"]·heb["ו-ימאן", "ו-ימאן ׀", "ו-ימאנו", "ו-מאן", "ו-מיאנו", "מאנו"]·HI["इनकार-किया", "इन्कार-किया", "उन्होंने-मना-किया", "और-इनकार-किया", "और-उन्होंने-इंकार-किया", "और-मन-किय", "और-मना-किया", "मना-किया"]·ID["Dan-dia-menolak", "Tetapi-mereka-menolak", "dan-ia-menolak", "dan-menolak", "dan-mereka-menolak", "menolak", "mereka-menolak", "tetapi-ia-menolak"]·IT["[וימאנו]", "e-egli-rifiutò", "e-essi-rifiutò", "e-rifiuto", "e-rifiutò", "essi-refuse", "rifiutarsi", "rifiuto'"]·jav["Lajeng-nampik", "Lajeng-sami-nampik", "Lan-nampik", "lan-boten-purun", "lan-nampik", "lan-nulak", "nampik", "nanging-piyambakipun-nampik", "nolak", "piyambakipun-sami-nampik", "sami-nampik"]·KO["거부하였나이다", "거부했다", "거절했기-때문이니라-그들이", "거절했다-그들이", "그들이-거절하였다", "그들이-거절했다", "그러나-거절하였도다", "그리고-거부하였다", "그리고-거부했다", "그리고-거절하였다", "그리고-거절했다", "그리하여-거부했다"]·PT["E-recusaram", "E-recusou", "e-recusou", "recusam", "recusaram"]·RU["И-отказались", "И-отказался", "и-отказались", "и-отказался", "отказались", "отказывались", "отказываются"]·ES["Pero-rehusaron", "Y-rehusaron", "Y-rehusó", "rehusaron", "rehúsan", "y-rehusó"]·SW["Na-akakataa", "na-akakataa", "na-wakakataa", "na-walikataa", "walikataa", "wamekataa"]·TR["Ve-reddetti", "Ve-reddettiler", "reddettiler", "ve-reddetti", "ve-reddettiler"]·urd["انکار-کیا", "انکار-کیا-اُنہوں-نے", "اور-انکار-کیا", "براہِ-کرم"]
Gen 37:35, Gen 39:8, Gen 48:19, Exod 4:23, Exod 7:14, Exod 10:3, Exod 16:28, Exod 22:17, Exod 22:17, Num 20:21, Num 22:13, Num 22:14 (+29 more)
Related Senses
G4102 1. faith, trust, belief (239×)G4100 1. believe / have faith in (233×)H0982 1. trust in, rely on (105×)H3988a 1. reject, refuse (56×)G4103 1. faithful, trustworthy, reliable (54×)H0530 1. faithfulness, fidelity, reliability (47×)H0539 1. believe, accept as true (42×)H0539 2. faithful, trustworthy, sure (39×)H8582 1. lead astray, cause to err (22×)H2623 1. faithful ones / saints (community) (21×)G0571 1. unbelieving, unbeliever (20×)G3982 1. be persuaded or convinced (19×)H8582 2. go astray, err morally (19×)G4105 1. to deceive, lead astray (18×)G3982 2. trust or have confidence in (17×)H2186a 1. reject, spurn (Qal) (16×)H3988a 2. despise, scorn (14×)G3982 3. persuade or convince someone (13×)G4103 2. believing, a believer (13×)G4105 2. to go astray, wander, err (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מָאֵן] vb. Pi. refuse (Qal perhaps be distasteful, cf. Syriac ܡܶܐܢ taeduit, piguit, Aph. be slothful; NH Pi., as term. techn. of girl, refuse to acknowledge marriage contract; poss. akin to Ethiopic መነነ reject; Arabic مَأَنَ is sustain, maintain);— Pi. Pf. מֵאֵן Ex 7:14 + 4 times; fs. מֵאֲנָה Je 15:18 + 3 times; מֵאַנְתָּ Ex 10:3, etc.; Impf. יְמָאֵן Ex 22:16; וַיְמָאֵן Gn 37:35 + 8 times…