מַעְיָן (H4599) — Hebrew Lexicon

מַעְיָן

𐤌𐤏𐤉𐤍

maʻyân

H4599 noun

SILEX Entry

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.

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Root Family

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

Root עין to flow, to spring forth, eye, 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
H5871	עַיִן	to Spring-town
H5879	עֵינַיִם	Two Springs
H5881	עֵינָן	Eye-Spring One
H6044	עָנִים	and Springs
H6046	עָנֵם	Two Springs

Word Forms

12 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H4599-03`	מַעְיָ֥ן	maeyan	`HNcmsa`	a spring	spring-source	spring-source	9
`H4599-09`	מַעְיְנֹת֙	maeyenot	`HNcmpc`	fountains	springs of	springs of	2
`H4599-07`	מַעְיָנ֑וֹת	maeyanot	`HNcmpa`	springs	springs	springs	2
`H4599-08`	מַעְיְנֵ֣י	maeyeney	`HNcmpc`	springs	springs of	springs of	2
`H4599-12`	וּ/מַעְיָ֗ן	umaeyan	`HC/Ncmsa`	and a spring	water-spring	water-spring	1
`H4599-01`	הַ/מַּעְיָנ֔וֹת	hamaeyanot	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the springs	the springs	the springs	1
`H4599-05`	מַ֭עְיָנִים	maeyanim	`HNcmpa`	springs	springs	springs	1
`H4599-06`	מַעְיָנ֔/וֹ	maeyano	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his fountain	his spring	his fountain	1
`H4599-04`	מַעְיָנַ֥/י	maeyanay	`HNcmpc/Sp1cs`	my-springs	my springs	my springs	1
`H4599-11`	מִ/מַּעַיְנֵ֖י	mimaayeney	`HR/Ncmpc`	from the springs	from springs of	from springs of	1
`H4599-02`	לְ/מַעְיְנ/וֹ	lemaeyeno	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	into his fountain	to his spring	to his spring	1
`H4599-10`	מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣י/ךָ	maeyenoteykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your springs	your springs	your springs	1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 occurrences

Filter by SIDANCE:

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H4599-09`	Genesis 7:11	מַעְיְנֹת֙	maeyenot	`HNcmpc`	fountains	springs of	springs of
`H4599-09`	Genesis 8:2	מַעְיְנֹ֣ת	maeyenot	`HNcmpc`	fountains	springs of	springs of
`H4599-03`	Leviticus 11:36	מַעְיָ֥ן	maeyan	`HNcmsa`	a spring	spring-source	spring-source
`H4599-03`	Joshua 15:9	מַעְיַן֙	maeyan	`HNcmsc`	spring	spring-source	spring-source
`H4599-03`	Joshua 18:15	מַעְיַ֖ן	maeyan	`HNcmsc`	the spring	spring-source	spring-source
`H4599-08`	1 Kings 18:5	מַעְיְנֵ֣י	maeyeney	`HNcmpc`	springs	springs of	springs of
`H4599-08`	2 Kings 3:19	מַעְיְנֵי	maeyeney	`HNcmpc`	springs of	springs of	springs of
`H4599-03`	2 Kings 3:25	מַעְיַן	maeyan	`HNcmsc`	spring	spring-source	spring
`H4599-11`	Isaiah 12:3	מִ/מַּעַיְנֵ֖י	mimaayeney	`HR/Ncmpc`	from the springs	from springs of	from springs of
`H4599-07`	Isaiah 41:18	מַעְיָנ֑וֹת	maeyanot	`HNcmpa`	springs	springs	springs
`H4599-06`	Hosea 13:15	מַעְיָנ֔/וֹ	maeyano	`HNcmsc/Sp3ms`	his fountain	his spring	his fountain
`H4599-12`	Joel 4:18	וּ/מַעְיָ֗ן	umaeyan	`HC/Ncmsa`	and a spring	water-spring	water-spring
`H4599-03`	Psalms 74:15	מַעְיָ֣ן	maeyan	`HNcmsa`	spring	spring-source	spring-source
`H4599-03`	Psalms 84:7	מַעְיָ֣ן	maeyan	`HNcmsa`	a spring	spring-source	spring-source
`H4599-04`	Psalms 87:7	מַעְיָנַ֥/י	maeyanay	`HNcmpc/Sp1cs`	my-springs	my springs	my springs
`H4599-05`	Psalms 104:10	מַ֭עְיָנִים	maeyanim	`HNcmpa`	springs	springs	springs
`H4599-02`	Psalms 114:8	לְ/מַעְיְנ/וֹ	lemaeyeno	`HR/Ncmsc/Sp3ms`	into his fountain	to his spring	to his spring
`H4599-10`	Proverbs 5:16	מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣י/ךָ	maeyenoteykha	`HNcmpc/Sp2ms`	your springs	your springs	your springs
`H4599-07`	Proverbs 8:24	מַ֝עְיָנ֗וֹת	maeyanot	`HNcmpa`	springs	springs	springs
`H4599-03`	Proverbs 25:26	מַעְיָ֣ן	maeyan	`HNcmsa`	a spring	spring-source	spring-source
`H4599-03`	Song of Songs 4:12	מַעְיָ֥ן	maeyan	`HNcmsa`	fountain	spring-source	fountain
`H4599-03`	Song of Songs 4:15	מַעְיַ֣ן	maeyan	`HNcmsc`	garden spring	spring-source	spring-source
`H4599-01`	2 Chronicles 32:4	הַ/מַּעְיָנ֔וֹת	hamaeyanot	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the springs	the springs	the springs

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