בַּ/מָּ֑יִם
𐤁/𐤌𐤉𐤌
mayim
in-water
Primary meaning: water, the substance essential for life in liquid form. Used for natural bodies of water—such as rivers, springs, seas, rain—materials in or with water, or as an element in rituals. Secondarily, may serve as a metonym for abundance, chaos, or danger (e.g., 'waters' of the deep, flood, or destruction), and occasionally for bodily fluids in specific contexts (semen, urine). The term may stand for any potable or environmental water, from dew to ocean; its figurative usage points to aspects of fertility, life, and chaos.
mai "water" (Kikuyu) · omeya/omeva "water" (Oshiwambo) · Mayi "water" (Swahili) +4 moreLeviticus 16:28 · Word #8
Lexicon H4325
| Lemma | מַיִם |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤌𐤉𐤌 |
| Transliteration | mayim |
| Strong's | H4325 |
| Definition | Primary meaning: water, the substance essential for life in liquid form. Used for natural bodies of water—such as rivers, springs, seas, rain—materials in or with water, or as an element in rituals. Secondarily, may serve as a metonym for abundance, chaos, or danger (e.g., 'waters' of the deep, flood, or destruction), and occasionally for bodily fluids in specific contexts (semen, urine). The term may stand for any potable or environmental water, from dew to ocean; its figurative usage points to aspects of fertility, life, and chaos. |
Morphology HRd/Ncmpa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | in-water |
SIBI-P1 Translation H4325-01
in the waters
| Morphological Notes | Preposition בְּ with definite article (assimilated) + masculine plural noun in absolute state; formally plural/dual but used as a collective. |
| Rendering Rationale | The preposition בַּ marks "in the," and מַיִם, though formally plural/dual masculine, functions as a collective noun meaning water. Rendering it as "the waters" preserves its plural form and its sense of abundant, flowing substance. |
View full lexicon entry for H4325 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
in the waters
| Same as P1 | Yes |
| Rationale | 'In the waters' is accurate for 'בַמָּיִם' and follows the SILEX definition. No change needed. |
Bantu Hebrew
בַּ/מָּ֑יִם (mayim) — Primary meaning: water, the substance essential for life in liquid form. Used for natural bodies of water—such as rivers, springs, seas, rain—materials in or with water, or as an element in rituals. Secondarily, may serve as a metonym for abundance, chaos, or danger (e.g., 'waters' of the deep, flood, or destruction), and occasionally for bodily fluids in specific contexts (semen, urine). The term may stand for any potable or environmental water, from dew to ocean; its figurative usage points to aspects of fertility, life, and chaos.