Lexical Summary
ma'ac: To reject, despise, refuse, abhor
Original Word:מָאַס
Part of Speech:verb
Transliteration:ma'ac
Pronunciation:mah-as'
Phonetic Spelling:(maw-as')
KJV: abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, X utterly, vile person
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to spurn
2. (intransitively) to disappear
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
abhor, cast away off, contemn, despise, disdain, become loathsome, refuse,
A primitive root; to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear -- abhor, cast away (off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse, reject, reprobate, X utterly, vile person.
Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. [] (Late Hebrew
id.; Aramaic
reject, despise; Ba
ES 15 compare (dubious) Arabic
lightly esteem (Kam.); Assyrian
ma°âsu is perhaps
destroy Meissn
Suppl. 55); —
Perfect3masculine singularIsaiah 8:6 4t; suffixPsalm 53:6; 2masculine singularJeremiah 14:19 3t.;Judges 9:38;1 Samuel 15:26 22t. Perfect;ImperfectJob 8:20 3t;Psalm 36:5;Job 36:5; suffix1 Samuel 15:23,26; forHosea 4:6 (so Baer, compare DeComplut. Var. 18 f.; not van d. H) read ; 3 masculine pluralJeremiah 6:19 2t.;Isaiah 31:7; 12t.Imperfect;Infinitive absoluteIsaiah 7:15,16Jeremiah 14:19;Lamentations 5:22;cstr.Isaiah 30:12;Amos 2:4;ParticipleProverbs 15:32;Isaiah 33:15, feminineEzekiel 21:15 (text dubious, Co ; Berthol ),Ezekiel 21:18 (also dubious, Co ; Berthol ); —reject, refuse,
God rejects menHosea 4:6;Hosea 9:17;1 Samuel 15:23,26;1 Samuel 16:1,7;2 Kings 23:27;Jeremiah 7:29;Jeremiah 14:19 (twice in verse);Jeremiah 33:24,26;Leviticus 26:44 (H),Psalm 53:6;Job 8:20;Job 10:3;Lamentations 5:22 (twice in verse);Psalm 89:39; men reject GodNumbers 11:20 (J),1 Samuel 8:7;1 Samuel 10:19; men1 Samuel 8:7;Job 30:1; idolsIsaiah 31:7, evilPsalm 36:5, knowledgeHosea 4:6, divineAmos 2:4;Isaiah 5:24;1 Samuel 15:23,26,Exodus 20:24, 2Kings 17:15;Job 5:17;Proverbs 3:11; variant reading thingsIsaiah 8:6;Ezekiel 21:15;Psalm 118:22;Job 31:13.
with God rejects men2 Kings 17:20;Jeremiah 6:30;Jeremiah 31:37;Psalm 78:59;Psalm 78:67, that in which man confidesJeremiah 2:37; men reject evilIsaiah 7:15,16, divineJeremiah 6:19,Isaiah 30:12;Jeremiah 8:9Leviticus 26:15 (H);Leviticus 26:43 (H),Ezekiel 5:6;Ezekiel 20:13,16; variant reading things,Numbers 14:31 (J)Isaiah 33:15;Jeremiah 4:30;Psalm 106:24.
despise, with accusative, God subjectAmos 5:21I hate, I despise your feasts; elsewhere men subjectJob 19:18even young children despise me;Job 9:21I despise my life, compareProverbs 15:32;Judges 9:38is not this the people that thou despisedst?Isaiah 33:8; object omittedJob 7:16 (< join to preceding Me Siegf Du);Job 34:33;Job 36:5;Job 42:6 ( Siegf ; Symm Bö )Ezekiel 21:18 (but see above). —
be rejected: ImperfectIsaiah 54:6 (wife);ParticipleJeremiah 6:30 (silver),Psalm 15:4 ( =reprobate; opposed to ); + feminine ,1 Samuel 15:9rejected, i.e.worthless (for HCT ) according to We Klo Dr Kit Bu HPS ("" , read ; compare,
)
II. [] (Aramaicid., but rare and dubious; — secondary form of q. v.); —Imperfect3masculine singularJob 7:5 my skin hath hardenedand run (i. e. again, afresh; > GHoffm Du read , Bu , √ ); 3 masculine pluralPsalm 58:8 (figurative of annihilation of wicked).
[] see .
, , see .
Arabic
a kind ofwhite camel, whence LagBN 29 proposes for the difficult ()Zechariah 6:3,7).
Topical Lexicon
Scope and Sense of the VerbThe verb describes a deliberate, often covenantal, act of rejection or spurning. It is not an emotional whim but a volitional repudiation of something recognised and then set aside. The object rejected may be the Lord Himself, His word, His statutes, His prophets, wisdom, or (in fewer cases) particular individuals whom the Lord has chosen to set aside. The term therefore exposes the moral posture of the human heart and, conversely, the righteousness of God when He rejects the unrepentant.
Distribution
Roughly seventy-five occurrences span the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, and Prophets. No usage is random; each instance advances the covenant storyline by underscoring the blessings of submission and the peril of defiance.
Covenantal Rejection in the Pentateuch
Leviticus is the earliest sustained cluster:
•Leviticus 26:15 “...if you reject My statutes and despise My ordinances…”
•Leviticus 26:43 “Yet for all this, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them or abhor them to destroy them utterly…”
Here, human rejection of the divine statutes is met by the threatened but ultimately restrained rejection by Yahweh. The tension between deserved judgment and covenant mercy is introduced.
Historical Books: Monarchy and Leadership
The Samuel narratives use the word to frame the decline of Saul and the rise of David:
•1 Samuel 8:7 “They have not rejected you, they have rejected Me as their king.”
•1 Samuel 15:23 “Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.”
•1 Samuel 16:1 “I have rejected him from reigning over Israel.”
“Rejecting the word” equals “rejecting the LORD,” revealing the inseparability of God and His revelation. Israel’s demand for a king reflected the national heart; Saul’s loss of kingship reflected one man’s disobedience. The verb therefore bridges corporate and individual accountability.
Wisdom Literature: Moral and Practical Dimensions
Job, Psalms, and Proverbs broaden the semantic field to counsel and wisdom:
•Job 5:17 “Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.”
•Psalm 118:22 “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
•Proverbs 1:7 “Fools despise wisdom and discipline.”
In worship and wisdom settings, rejection becomes a moral folly. God’s messianic cornerstone (Psalm 118:22) is spurned by builders who should have recognised its value, providing a prophetic template later cited in the New Testament.
Major Prophets: National Apostasy and Divine Response
Isaiah and Jeremiah employ the term as a judicial verdict:
•Isaiah 5:24 “They have rejected the law of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.”
•Jeremiah 6:19 “They have not listened to My words, and they have rejected My instruction.”
•Jeremiah 14:19 “Have You utterly rejected Judah? Has Your soul loathed Zion?”
The prophets accuse Judah and Israel of rejecting Torah, covenant, and prophetic warning. God’s counter-rejection is portrayed as sorrowful but just.
Minor Prophets: Amplifying the Warning
Hosea, Amos, and Zechariah echo the theme:
•Hosea 4:6 “Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests.”
•Amos 2:4 “They have rejected the law of the LORD.”
•Zechariah 11:8 “My soul loathed them, and their souls also despised Me.”
The verb magnifies the seriousness of rejecting divine knowledge; priesthood itself can be forfeited.
Christological Significance
Psalm 118:22 forms the backbone of the New Testament’s messianic application (Matthew 21:42;Acts 4:11;1 Peter 2:7). The builders’ rejection of the cornerstone anticipates Israel’s leadership rejecting Jesus Christ. Thus, the Old Testament use of the verb prepares the reader for the climactic rejection at Calvary and the divine vindication that follows.
Divine Rejection as Righteous Judgment, Not Caprice
When God is subject, His rejection rests on covenant breach (e.g.,2 Kings 17:20;Hosea 9:17). Yet He never rejects a repentant heart (Psalm 51:17), and He promises ultimate restoration (Leviticus 26:44). The verb therefore highlights both holiness and mercy.
Pastoral and Ministry Applications
1. Preaching and Teaching: The repeated linkage of rejecting God’s word with personal and national ruin underscores the preacher’s call to herald Scripture faithfully (2 Timothy 4:2-4 echoes the theme).
2. Discipleship: Believers must cultivate a receptive heart toward biblical instruction, lest they repeat Israel’s history of spurning divine counsel.
3. Apologetics and Evangelism: The motif provides a diagnostic lens for cultural attitudes toward truth. Rejecting revelation is not mere intellectual doubt but moral resistance.
4. Church Leadership: As Saul’s downfall illustrates, continued disobedience disqualifies leaders. Elders must heed the “whole counsel of God” lest they be set aside.
Summary
The verb paints a sobering portrait of human obstinacy and divine integrity. Whether statutes, wisdom, prophetic warning, or Messiah Himself, what is rejected inevitably stands vindicated by God. Conversely, those who reject Him court judgment. Fittingly, the gospel invites all who once rejected to return in faith, assured that He “will not reject forever” (Lamentations 3:31).
Forms and Transliterations
אֶמְאַ֗ס אֶמְאַ֣ס אֶמְאַ֥ס אֶמְאַ֨ס אמאס הֲמָאֹ֨ס המאס וְאֶמְאָֽסְאךָ֙ וַ֭יִּמְאַס וַֽ֭יִּמְאֲסוּ וַיִּמְאֲס֣וּ וַיִּמְאֲסוּ־ וַיִּמְאַ֥ס וַיִּמְאַ֨ס וַיִּמְאָסְךָ֖ וַיִּמְאָסְךָ֣ וַיִּמְאָסֵ֑ם וַיִּמָּאֵֽס׃ וַתִּמְאָ֑ס וּ֠מָאַסְתִּי ואמאסאך וימאס וימאס׃ וימאסו וימאסו־ וימאסך וימאסם ומאסתי ותמאס יִמְאַס־ יִמְאָ֑ס יִמְאָֽס׃ יִמְאָס֗וּן יִמְאָסֵ֣ם יִמָּאֲס֣וּ ימאס ימאס־ ימאס׃ ימאסו ימאסון ימאסם מְאַסְתִּ֑יהוּ מְאַסְתִּ֔יו מְאַסְתִּ֤ים מְאַסְתִּֽיךָ׃ מְאַסְתֶּ֖ם מְאַסְתֶּ֣ם מְאַסְתֶּ֤ם מְאָסָֽם׃ מָ֣אֲסוּ מָ֭אַסְתִּי מָֽאָסְכֶ֖ם מָא֥וֹס מָאֲס֖וּ מָאֲס֗וּ מָאֲס֣וּ מָאֲסוּ־ מָאֳסָ֞ם מָאַ֖סְתִּי מָאַ֗סְתָּ מָאַ֙סְתָּ֙ מָאַ֙סְתָּה֙ מָאַ֜סְתָּ מָאַ֣ס מָאַ֣סְתָּה מָאַ֤ס מָאַ֥ס מָאַ֥סְתִּי מָאַס֙ מָאָ֔סוּ מָאָ֗סוּ מָאֹ֣ס מָאֹ֥ס מֹאֵ֞ס מֹאֶ֖סֶת מֹאֶ֥סֶת מאוס מאס מאסו מאסו־ מאסכם מאסם מאסם׃ מאסת מאסתה מאסתי מאסתיהו מאסתיו מאסתיך׃ מאסתים מאסתם מוֹאֵ֣ס מואס נִמְאָ֔ס נִמְאָ֗ס נמאס תִ֭מְאַס תִּמְאָ֑ס תִּמְאָ֔סוּ תִּמְאָֽס׃ תִמָּאֵ֖ס תמאס תמאס׃ תמאסו ’em’as ’em·’as emAs hă·mā·’ōs hămā’ōs hamaOs mā’as mā’āsəḵem mā’astā mā’astāh mā’astî mā’ăsū mā’āsū mā’ăsū- mā’ōs mā’osām mā’ōws mā·’ā·sə·ḵem mā·’ă·sū mā·’ā·sū mā·’ă·sū- mā·’as mā·’as·tā mā·’as·tāh mā·’as·tî mā·’o·sām mā·’ō·ws mā·’ōs maAs maaseChem maAsta maAstah Maasti maAsu maos mə’āsām mə’astem mə’astîhū mə’astîḵā mə’astîm mə’astîw mə·’ā·sām mə·’as·tem mə·’as·tî·hū mə·’as·tî·ḵā mə·’as·tîm mə·’as·tîw meaSam measTem measTicha measTihu measTim measTiv mō’ês mō’eseṯ mō·’e·seṯ mō·’ês mō·w·’ês moEs moEset mooSam mōw’ês nim’ās nim·’ās nimAs tim’ās ṯim’as tim’āsū tim·’ā·sū tim·’ās ṯim·’as ṯim·mā·’ês timAs timAsu ṯimmā’ês timmaEs ū·mā·’as·tî ūmā’astî Umaasti vaiyimAs vaiyimaseCha vaiyimaSem vaiyimaSu vaiyimmaEs vattimAs veemaseCha wat·tim·’ās wattim’ās way·yim·’ā·sə·ḵā way·yim·’ā·sêm way·yim·’ă·sū way·yim·’ă·sū- way·yim·’as way·yim·mā·’ês wayyim’as wayyim’āsəḵā wayyim’āsêm wayyim’ăsū wayyim’ăsū- wayyimmā’ês wə’em’āsəḵā wə·’em·’ā·sə·ḵā yim’ās yim’as- yim’āsêm yim’āsūn yim·’ā·sêm yim·’ā·sūn yim·’ās yim·’as- yim·mā·’ă·sū yimas yimaSem yimaSun yimmā’ăsū yimmaaSu
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