יְמָאֵ֛ן
𐤉𐤌𐤀𐤍
mâʼên
to give
To refuse, decline, or reject an offer, request, or command, sometimes with a sense of determined unwillingness or obstinate resistance. The word is often used to express adamant refusal, sometimes with emotional or volitional force, and is not limited to casual or polite declination. In narrative and legal contexts, it denotes an intentional act of not consenting or not granting one’s compliance.
Exodus 22:16 · Word #3
Lexicon H3985
| Lemma | מָאֵן |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤌𐤀𐤍 |
| Transliteration | mâʼên |
| Strong's | H3985 |
| Definition | To refuse, decline, or reject an offer, request, or command, sometimes with a sense of determined unwillingness or obstinate resistance. The word is often used to express adamant refusal, sometimes with emotional or volitional force, and is not limited to casual or polite declination. In narrative and legal contexts, it denotes an intentional act of not consenting or not granting one’s compliance. |
Morphology HVpi3ms
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | V — Verb — An action or state |
| Binyan | p — Piel — Intensive active |
| Conjugation | i — Imperfect — Incomplete or ongoing action |
| Person | 3 — 3rd person — Third person ("he/she/they") |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | s — Singular — Singular |
Common Translation
| Phrase | to give |
SIBI-P1 Translation H3985-15
he refuses
| Morphological Notes | Verb, Piel stem (intensive/active), imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular. |
| Rendering Rationale | The Piel stem here retains the active, volitional force of deliberate refusal, and the imperfect 3ms form is rendered as "he refuses," preserving both person and aspect without adding context. This reflects the root sense of intentional withholding of consent. |
View full lexicon entry for H3985 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
to give
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | P1 'he refuses' is incorrect as this form is an infinitive; context requires 'to give'. |