Word Study for H3973 (מָאוֹס)

mâʼôwç /maw-oce'/ Ask about this word

Meaningrefuse

KJV usagerefuse.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of mâʼôwç — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word mâʼôwç, represented by H3973, means refuse. This term is exceptionally rare, appearing just 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible. Its singular appearance, however, occurs in a context of profound lament, giving it significant weight. It describes something that is utterly rejected or considered worthless.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole use of H3973 is found in Lamentations 3:45, where the prophet expresses deep national suffering. The verse states, "Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of the people." Here, mâʼôwç is paired with "offscouring" H5501 to emphasize a state of being cast aside and despised. The text attributes this condition directly to God's action, portraying Israel as having been made worthless among the surrounding nations.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words in its only context illuminate the meaning of H3973:

H5501 çᵉchîy (offscouring): This word, defined as "refuse (as swept off)," is used in direct parallel with mâʼôwç in Lamentations 3:45. Their combined use creates a powerful image of being treated as worthless garbage that has been swept away.
H7760 sûwm (to put): This is the verb used to describe the action in Lamentations 3:45: "Thou hast made us..." It is a primitive root meaning "to put" or "appoint," indicating that this state of being refuse was not accidental but was deliberately appointed or imposed.
H5971 ʻam (a people): The verse states that they were made refuse "in the midst of the people." This term for a congregated unit or nation provides the social backdrop for the shame, emphasizing that the degradation is public. This is particularly poignant as H5971 is often used to describe God's own covenant community Jeremiah 31:33.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H3973 is concentrated in its single, impactful use:

Expression of Ultimate Rejection: The word captures the depth of despair felt by those who believe they have been utterly cast aside by God. It moves beyond simple hardship to a feeling of being worthless and discarded.
Consequence of Judgment: In the context of Lamentations, being made into refuse is a direct result of divine judgment. The action verb sûwm H7760 shows that this state is an appointment from God.
Loss of Chosen Status: Being made refuse among the "people" H5971 signifies a reversal of status. Instead of being a treasured nation set apart by God, the speaker feels they are now viewed as the lowest of the low among the other peoples of the world.

Summary

In summary, while H3973 appears only once, its meaning is sharp and significant. As refuse, it encapsulates the profound sense of worthlessness and rejection at the heart of the lament in Lamentations 3:45. Paired with "offscouring" H5501 and enacted by the verb "to put" H7760, it serves as a powerful theological term describing the experience of divine judgment and the feeling of being utterly cast away before God and the nations.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

מָאוֹס
מְאַסְתָּ

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Lamentations — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.