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מַעְיָן

𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤍

maʻyân

H4599 noun

SILEX Entry

Root עין to flow, to spring forth, eye, source

Definition

A natural spring or fountain—an outflow of water emerging from the ground—often marking a vital source of fresh water in the landscape. Used not only for literal springs but in some cases as a figurative term for a source, origin, or abundance (of life, blessing, or knowledge), especially in poetic or wisdom literature.

Semantic Range

natural spring, fountain, source of water, origin or source (figurative), outflow, well (in translations, though technically distinct), abundance (figurative)

Root / Etymology

מַעְיָן derives from the root עין (ayin), which at its core means 'eye,' but by extension refers to a 'spring' or 'fountain,' reflecting the visual similarity between an 'eye' as a source of tears and a spring as a source of water. מַעְיָן is a denominative noun formed from עין in the sense of a water source, not simply as the anatomical 'eye.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the biblical world, springs (מַעְיָן) were highly significant, often marking places of settlement and representing life-giving resource in arid landscapes. The word is attested throughout the Hebrew Bible, including narrative, legal, and poetic texts. מַעְיָן typically denotes water that emerges naturally, in contrast to a בְּאֵר (be'er, 'well'), which is mechanically dug, or a בּוֹר (bor, 'cistern'), a pit or reservoir for water storage. The word occurs in both masculine and feminine forms (cf. מַעְיָנָה, fem.), though the masculine form is more common. In Psalm 114:8, the word poignantly marks miraculous provision in the wilderness. Later traditions sometimes use 'fountain' or 'source' metaphorically, and in English translation may render this as 'well,' though this does not fully convey the connotation of natural emergence. The figurative use, as a source of blessing, satisfaction, or wisdom (e.g., Proverbs 10:11), is mostly poetic or literary rather than concrete.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מַעְיְנוֹ; (Psalm 114:8), or (feminine) מַעְיָנָה; from עַיִן (as a denominative in the sense of a spring); a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a source (of satisfaction); fountain, spring, well.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

עין (ʿ-y-n) — eye, to flow, to spring forth, source

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2704 חֲצַר עֵינָן Spring-Eyed One
H3282 יַעַן because
H5770 עָוַן the hostile-watching one
H5869 עַיִן eyes
H5870 עַיִן my eye

Word Forms

12 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H4599-03 מַעְיָ֥ן maeyan HNcmsa a spring spring-source 9
H4599-09 מַעְיְנֹת֙ maeyenot HNcmpc fountains springs of 2
H4599-07 מַעְיָנ֑וֹת maeyanot HNcmpa springs springs 2
H4599-08 מַעְיְנֵ֣י maeyeney HNcmpc springs springs of 2
H4599-12 וּ/מַעְיָ֗ן umaeyan HC/Ncmsa and a spring water-spring 1
H4599-01 הַ/מַּעְיָנ֔וֹת hamaeyanot HTd/Ncmpa the springs the springs 1
H4599-05 מַ֭עְיָנִים maeyanim HNcmpa springs springs 1
H4599-06 מַעְיָנ֔/וֹ maeyano HNcmsc/Sp3ms his fountain his spring 1
H4599-04 מַעְיָנַ֥/י maeyanay HNcmpc/Sp1cs my-springs my springs 1
H4599-11 מִ/מַּעַיְנֵ֖י mimaayeney HR/Ncmpc from the springs from springs of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H4599-09 Genesis 7:11 מַעְיְנֹת֙ maeyenot HNcmpc fountains springs of
H4599-09 Genesis 8:2 מַעְיְנֹ֣ת maeyenot HNcmpc fountains springs of
H4599-03 Leviticus 11:36 מַעְיָ֥ן maeyan HNcmsa a spring spring-source
H4599-03 Joshua 15:9 מַעְיַן֙ maeyan HNcmsc spring spring-source
H4599-03 Joshua 18:15 מַעְיַ֖ן maeyan HNcmsc the spring spring-source
H4599-08 1 Kings 18:5 מַעְיְנֵ֣י maeyeney HNcmpc springs springs of
H4599-08 2 Kings 3:19 מַעְיְנֵי maeyeney HNcmpc springs of springs of
H4599-03 2 Kings 3:25 מַעְיַן maeyan HNcmsc spring spring-source
H4599-11 Isaiah 12:3 מִ/מַּעַיְנֵ֖י mimaayeney HR/Ncmpc from the springs from springs of
H4599-07 Isaiah 41:18 מַעְיָנ֑וֹת maeyanot HNcmpa springs springs
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