H3988a H3988a
To reject, refuse, or repudiate; to despise or scorn; in the Nifal, to be rejected or deemed reprobate; also to loathe or find abhorrent.
The verb ma'as (מָאַס) is one of the sharpest words in the Hebrew prophetic vocabulary — the deliberate turning away from what should have been valued. Israel 'rejected' the LORD as king (1 Sam 8:7), Saul was 'rejected' from being king (1 Sam 15:23, 26), and the builders 'rejected' the stone that became the cornerstone (Ps 118:22). Spanish distinguishes the shades well: 'rechazar' and 'desechar' for active rejection, 'despreciar' and 'desdenar' for contemptuous disdain. Arabic similarly splits between rafada (to push away, refuse) and izdara (to look down upon, scorn). The Nifal passive — 'to be rejected' — appears in three poignant contexts, including the wife who was 'cast off' in Isaiah 54:6 and the 'rejected silver' of Jeremiah 6:30. A final, solitary use in Job 7:16 pushes the word toward bodily revulsion: 'I loathe my life,' where the rejection turns inward and becomes self-directed abhorrence.
1. reject, refuse — The primary Qal sense: to reject, refuse, or repudiate a person, thing, or divine command. Convergent across languages — Arabic rafada, Swahili kataa, Spanish rechazar/desechar — this sense covers the major covenantal crises: Israel rejecting God's kingship (1 Sam 8:7), God rejecting Saul (1 Sam 15:23, 26), Israel spurning the Torah (Lev 26:43–44), and the people refusing the gentle waters of Shiloah (Isa 8:6). The rejection is always active, deliberate, and consequential — not passive indifference but a conscious turning away from what was offered or commanded. 56×
AR["رَفَضوا","رَفَضَ","رَفَضُوا","رَفَضْتَ","وَ-رَفَضَكَ","وَرَفَضَ"]·ben["অগ্রাহ্য-করল","অবজ্ঞা-করেছে","অস্বীকার-করেছিল-তারা,","অস্বীকার-করেছে","এবং-তিনি-তোমাকে-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছেন","এবং-তিনি-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছিলেন","এবং-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছেন-তোমাকে","তারা-অগ্রাহ্য-করেছে","তারা-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছে","তুমি-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছ","প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছ-তুমি","প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছে","প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছেন","সে-অবজ্ঞা-করেছে"]·DE["du-verwarf","du-verwirfst","sie-verwarf","sie-verwarfen","und-er-verwarf-du","und-verachtete","verwarf","verwerfen"]·EN["and-he-rejected","and-he-rejected-you","has-rejected","have-You-rejected","he-has-despised","rejected","they-have-rejected","they-rejected","you-rejected"]·FR["et-il-rejeta-tu","et-rejeter","ils-rejeta","rejeter","tu-rejeta"]·heb["ו-ימאס","ו-ימאס-ך","מאס","מאסו","מאסת"]·HI["अस्वीकार-किया","उन्होंने-तुच्छ-जाना","उन्होंने-तुच्छ-जाना-है","उसने-तुच्छ-जाना","और-उस्ने-तुक्रअय-तुझे","और-तिरस्कार-किया","और-यहवेह-ने-तुक्रअय","तिरस्कार-किया-तूने","तुच्छ किया","तुच्छ-किया","तुच्छ-जाना","तुच्छ-जाना-है","तुच्छा-किया","तुने-तुक्रअय"]·ID["Dia-menolak","Engkau-menolak","dan-Dia-menolak","dan-TUHAN-menolak-engkau","dan-[obj]","engkau-menolak","maka-Ia-menolak-engkau","menolak","mereka-menolak","mereka-tolak","yang-mereka-tolak"]·IT["e-egli-rigettò-tu","e-rigetto'","essi-rigettarono","essi-rigetto","essi-rigettò","rigettare","tu-rigetti","tu-rigettò"]·jav["Paduka-sampun-nampik","dipuntampik","lan-Panjenengan-nampik-panjenengan","nampik","panjenengan-sampun-nampik","piyambakipun-nampik","piyambakipun-nulak","piyambakipun-sami-nampik","piyambakipun-sampun-nolak","saha-Panjenengan-nolak","sami-nampik","sampun-nolak","tiyang-tiyang-punika-nampik"]·KO["거부하셨나이다","거부하셨다","거부하였다","거절하였다","그들이-거부하였고","그들이-거절하였다","그리고-버리셨다-너를","네가-버렸다","멸시하였다","버렸기-때문이라","버렸다","버리셨나이까","버리셨다"]·PT["desprezou","e-rejeitou","e-rejeitou-te","rejeitaram","rejeitaste","rejeitou"]·RU["и-отверг","и-отверг-тебя","которые","отверг","отверг-Ты","отверг-ты","отвергли","пренебрегли"]·ES["desecharon","desechó","despreció","rechazaron","rechazaste","rechazó","y-rechazó","y-te-rechazó"]·SW["amedharau","amekataa","amewakataa","na-akawakataa","na-amekukataa","umeikataa","umekataa","walizikataa","wamekataa","wamelkataa","wamenikataa","wamezikataa"]·TR["değil","reddetti","reddettiler","reddettin","ve-reddetti","ve-reddetti-seni"]·urd["انہوں-نے-رد-کیا","اور-رد-کر-دیا-ہے-تجھے","اور-ردّ-کیا-اُس-نے","رد-کر-دیا-تُو-نے","رد-کر-دیا-ہے","رد-کیا","رد-کیا-تُو-نے","رد-کیا-ہے","رد-کیے-اُنہوں-نے","ردّ-کیا","ردّ-کیے"]
Lev 26:43, Lev 26:44, Judg 9:38, 1 Sam 8:7, 1 Sam 8:7, 1 Sam 10:19, 1 Sam 15:23, 1 Sam 15:23, 1 Sam 15:26, 1 Sam 15:26, 1 Sam 16:1, 1 Sam 16:7 (+38 more)
▼ 3 more senses below
Senses
2. despise, scorn — To despise, scorn, or treat with contempt — distinguished from outright rejection by an attitude of disdain rather than formal refusal. Arabic izdara/muzdarin (to scorn), Swahili dharau (contempt), and Spanish despreciar/desdenar converge to mark this as contemptuous dismissal. The wicked 'despise' correction (Job 5:17), the arrogant person 'does not abhor evil' because he 'despises' wisdom (Ps 36:4), and Israel 'despised' the manna that God provided (Num 11:20). Where sense 1 is a judicial or covenantal act, this sense carries an emotional charge of looking down upon something as beneath one's regard. 14×
AR["أَرْفُضُ","ازْدَرَوْنِي","الرَّافِضَةُ","الرَّافِضُ","تَرْفُضَ","تَرْفُضُونَ","تَرْفُضْ","رَافِضًا","رَفَضْتُمْ","مُزْدَرٍ","يَرفُضُ"]·ben["অবজ্ঞা-করে","অবজ্ঞা-করেছ","অবজ্ঞা-করো","অস্বীকার-করবে,","আপনি-তুচ্ছ-করেন","আমি-অবজ্ঞা-করি","আমি-অস্বীকার-করি","ঘৃণা-করেছে-আমাকে","তিনি-তুচ্ছ-করেন","তিরস্কারকারী","তোমরা-প্রত্যাখ্যান-করেছ","যে-অগ্রাহ্য-করে"]·DE["[אמאס]","[ימאס]","[מואס]","[תמאס]","du-verwarf","du-verwerfen","sie-verwarfen","verwarf","verwerfen"]·EN["I-despise","I-despise-myself","You-despise","despise","despises","despising","he-rejects","he-who-despises","it-despises","reject","you-reject","you-rejected"]·FR["rejeter","tu-rejeta","tu-rejeter"]·heb["אמאס","ימאס","מאסו","מאסתם","מואס","מואסת","תמאס","תמאסו"]·HI["तुच्छ-करता-है","तुच्छ-जान","तुच्छ-जाननेवाला","तुच्छ-जाना-है","तुच्छ-जानेवाली","तुच्छ-समझता-है","तुम तुच्छ करोगे","तुमने-तुच्छ-जाना","तू-तुच्छ-जाने","मुझे-तुच्छ-जानते-हैं","मैं-तुच्छ-जानता-हूँ"]·ID["Engkau-menolak","Ia menolak","aku menolak","aku-membenci","engkau-tolak","kamu-menolak","kamu-tolak","menolak","menolakku","yang-menolak"]·IT["disprezzare","rigettare","tu-rigettare","tu-rigetto"]·jav["Panjenengan-ipun-nampik","Panjenengan-nampik","ingkang-ngremèhaken","kawula-bosen","kawula-getun","nampik","ngremèhaken","panjenengan-sadaya-nolak","panjenengan-sedaya-nampik","sami-nampik"]·KO["거부하는","거부하는-자이다","거부하라","거부하지","내가-멸시한다","내가-무시하다","너희가-거부하면","너희가-거부한","당신이-멸시하는-것이","멸시하는-자이니라","무시했다-너희가","문리쳄나니","문의하신다"]·PT["despreza;","desprezando","desprezastes","desprezo","me-desprezam","me-rejeito","o-que-rejeita","rejeita","rejeitardes","rejeitastes","rejeites"]·RU["отвергает","отвергай,","отвергаю","отвергающий","отвергли-вы","презираешь","презираю","презирают","презирающий","пренебрегай","пренебрегать-будете"]·ES["desdeñareis","desechasteis","desprecia","despreciasteis","desprecies","desprecio","el-que-desprecia","me-desprecian","me-desprecio","que-desprecia"]·SW["akatae","anadharau","inayokataa","mliidharau","mmemdharau","mtazidharau","ninajikataa","ninakataa","ukidharau","unakataa","usiyakatae","wamenidharau"]·TR["hor-görür","küçümser","reddeden","reddeder","reddederseniz","reddedersin","reddediyorum","reddet","reddetme","reddettiniz","tiksiniyorum"]·urd["تم-رد-کیا","تم-نے-رد-کیا-ہے","حقیر جانتے ہیں","حقیر-جان","حقیر-جانتا-ہوں","حقیر-جانتا-ہے","حقیر-جانتی-ہے","حقیر-جاننے-والی","حقیر-جانے","رد-کر","رد-کرنے-والا","رد-کرو","میں-بیزار-ہوں","وہ حقیر جانتا"]
3. be rejected (Nifal) — The Nifal passive or stative meaning: to be rejected, cast off, or deemed worthless as a reprobate. Three clear instances bear passive morphology: the reprobate whose conduct marks him as rejected in the eyes of the righteous (Ps 15:4), the wife who was 'rejected' or 'cast off' and then recalled by God (Isa 54:6), and Israel as 'rejected silver' that fails the refiner's test (Jer 6:30). Arabic marfud (passive participle, 'rejected one') and Swahili passive -kataliwa confirm the voice distinction. These passages carry pathos — the rejected party did not choose their status but was judged and found wanting. 3×
AR["تُرْفَضُ","مَرْفُوضٌ","مَرْفُوضَةً"]·ben["ঘৃণিত","প্রত্যাখ্যাত","প্রত্যাখ্যাত-হয়"]·DE["verachtete","verwerfen"]·EN["is-a-reprobate","rejected","she-is-rejected"]·FR["rejeter"]·heb["נמאס","תימאס"]·HI["अधम-व्यक्ति","तुच्छ","त्यागी-जाती-है"]·ID["dia-ditolak","orang-tercela","yang-ditolak"]·IT["rigettare","rigetto'"]·jav["dipun-tulak","dipuntampik","ingkang-kabucal"]·KO["거부된-자-가","버림받겠느냐","버림받은"]·PT["rejeitada","é-rejeitada","é-rejeitado"]·RU["была-отвержена","отвергнутое","презренный"]·ES["el-vil","fue-rechazada","rechazada"]·SW["aliyekataliwa","anakataliwa","iliyokataliwa"]·TR["reddedilen","reddedilir-mi","reddedilmiş"]·urd["رد-شدہ","رد-کیا-ہوا-ہے","ردّ-کی-جاتی-ہے"]
4. sense 4 — A singular intensified sense meaning to loathe, abhor, or find one's own existence unbearable. Job 7:16 stands alone: 'I loathe (my life); I would not live forever' — where rejection becomes visceral self-directed revulsion. Spanish 'aborrezco' (I abhor) and English 'I loathe' push beyond mere rejection or scorn into the territory of existential disgust. The object is not another person or God's law but one's own continued existence, making this the most inward-turning use of the verb. 1×
AR["سَئِمْتُ"]·ben["আমি-ঘৃণা-করি"]·DE["[מאסתי]"]·EN["I-loathe"]·FR["rejeter"]·heb["מאסתי"]·HI["तुच्छ-जाना-मैंने"]·ID["Aku-muak"]·IT["disprezzare"]·jav["kawula-bosen"]·KO["싫어한다-내가"]·PT["rejeitei"]·RU["презираю-я"]·ES["Aborrezco;"]·SW["nimekataa"]·TR["tiksinim"]·urd["بیزار-ہوں"]
Related Senses
G4102 1. faith, trust, belief (239×)G4100 1. believe / have faith in (233×)H0982 1. trust in, rely on (105×)G4103 1. faithful, trustworthy, reliable (54×)H0530 1. faithfulness, fidelity, reliability (47×)H0539 1. believe, accept as true (42×)H3985 1. refuse, be unwilling (41×)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×)G3982 3. persuade or convince someone (13×)G4103 2. believing, a believer (13×)G4105 2. to go astray, wander, err (13×)H5377 1. deceive, beguile (Hifil active) (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. מָאַס vb. reject (NH id.; Aramaic מְאַס reject, despise; BAES 15 comp. (dub.) Arabic مَعَسَ lightly esteem (Ḳam.; Assyrian ma’âsu is perhaps destroy MeissnSuppl. 55);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. מָאַס Is 8:6 + 4 times; sf. מְאָסָם ψ 53:6; 2 ms. מָאַסְתָּ Je 14:19 + 3 times; מָאַסְתָּה Ju 9:38 1 S 15:26 + 22 times Pf.; Impf. יִמְאַס Jb 8:20 + 3 times; יִמְאָ֑ס ψ 36:5 Jb 36:5; sf. וַיּמְאָֽסְךָ 1 S 15:23,…