Bible Word Study
מֵאֵן
mêʼên · refractory
מֵאֵן
refractory
Definition
The Hebrew word מֵאֵן (mêʼên) means 'refractory' or 'stubbornly disobedient.' It describes a person who is obstinate and refuses to comply, particularly in a moral or spiritual context. In its sole biblical occurrence in Jeremiah 13:10, it characterizes the people of Judah as 'this evil people, which refuse to hear my words.' The term emphasizes a willful and hardened rejection of divine instruction.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 13:10. It appears in a prophetic oracle of judgment, where God condemns Judah for its persistent disobedience and refusal to listen to His commands. The context is one of covenant rebellion, highlighting the people's deliberate choice to ignore prophetic warnings.
Etymology
מֵאֵן is a noun derived from the verb מָאֵן (māʼēn, H3985), which means 'to refuse' or 'to be unwilling.' The root conveys a sense of active rejection or denial. Cognates in other Semitic languages carry similar meanings of refusal or withholding.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it captures the essence of human rebellion against God. It describes not mere ignorance, but a conscious, stubborn refusal to heed God's word—a key theme in the prophets. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Jeremiah by highlighting the gravity of Judah's covenant unfaithfulness, which justified the coming judgment. It serves as a sobering reminder of the spiritual danger of a hardened heart. In ancient Near Eastern covenant contexts, obedience to a sovereign's commands was paramount. To be labeled 'refractory' was to be seen as a traitorous or rebellious vassal. This cultural understanding amplifies the severity of the charge against Judah, framing their disobedience as a direct affront to their divine King. סָרַר (sārar, H5637) — to be stubborn or rebellious, often in a general sense of defiance. מָרָה (mārä, H4784) — to be contentious or rebellious, frequently used in the context of rebelling against authority.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]