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מָקוֹר

𐤌𐤒𐤅𐤓

mâqôwr

H4726 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קור to dig, bore, excavate

Definition

A point of origin, source, or spring from which water emerges naturally; by extension, a source or wellspring of something non-literal (e.g., wisdom, life, joy); in specific contexts, refers euphemistically to the genital source of blood and progeny. The term most commonly designates a natural spring or fountain in both physical and metaphorical senses.

Semantic Range

spring, fountain, source (of water), wellspring (literal or figurative), origin, source (of blood/genitalia, wisdom, progeny, happiness, tears)

Root / Etymology

From the root קוּר meaning 'to dig' or 'to bore,' indicating something which is dug out, but in extended application, refers to a natural or constructed point of outflow or emergence. Though the root implies 'digging,' the noun's lexical meaning often encompasses natural springs not made by direct human action.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, מָקוֹר is primarily employed for natural springs—permanent sources of fresh water, crucial in the arid Levantine landscape. It can also denote the generative source of abstract qualities (e.g., 'source of wisdom'), or metaphorically for a wellspring of life or joy. In a small number of cases, especially in legal or purity contexts, it serves as a euphemism for the female genital source of menstrual blood or offspring. In later periods and poetry, the figurative senses broadened to include any origin or source, such as a 'fountain of tears' (Jer 8:23[9:1]). English translations sometimes render it 'well' or 'spring,' but 'source' or 'wellspring' better captures its broader usage. In contrast with בְּאֵר (beʾer, usually a man-made well), מָקוֹר tends to signify a naturally occurring water source. Its metaphorical use is especially prominent in Proverbs and the Psalms.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or מָקֹר; from קוּר; properly, something dug, i.e. a (general) source (of water, even when naturally flowing; also of tears, blood (by euphemism, of the female pudenda); figuratively, of happiness, wisdom, progeny); fountain, issue, spring, well(-spring).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קור (q-w-r) — to dig, bore, excavate

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6979 קוּר she made a breach
H6980 קוּר their spider-webs
H6982 קוֹרָה the roof-beam
H7023 קִיר in the boundary-wall
H7024 קִיר wall of

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H4726-02 מְק֣וֹר meqor HNcmsc fountain spring-source of 10
H4726-03 מְקֹרָ֣/הּ meqorah HNcmsc/Sp3fs fountain her spring-source 2
H4726-06 מִ/מְּקֹ֣ר mimeqor HR/Ncmsc from the fountain from a spring-source of 2
H4726-04 מְקוֹרְ/ךָ֥ meqorekha HNcmsc/Sp2ms your fountain your wellspring 1
H4726-01 מָק֣וֹר maqor HNcmsa fountain wellspring 1
H4726-05 מְקוֹר/וֹ֙ meqoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his spring his spring 1
H4726-07 וּ/מָק֣וֹר umaqor HC/Ncmsa and a well and wellspring 1

Occurrences in Scripture

18 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H4726-06 Leviticus 12:7 מִ/מְּקֹ֣ר mimeqor HR/Ncmsc from the source from a spring-source of
H4726-03 Leviticus 20:18 מְקֹרָ֣/הּ meqorah HNcmsc/Sp3fs fountain her spring-source
H4726-02 Leviticus 20:18 מְק֣וֹר meqor HNcmsc fountain spring-source of
H4726-02 Jeremiah 2:13 מְק֣וֹר meqor HNcmsc fountain spring-source of
H4726-02 Jeremiah 8:23 מְק֣וֹר meqor HNcmsc a fountain spring-source of
H4726-02 Jeremiah 17:13 מְק֥וֹר meqor HNcmsc fountain spring-source of
H4726-03 Jeremiah 51:36 מְקוֹרָֽ/הּ meqorah HNcmsc/Sp3fs her-fountain her spring-source
H4726-05 Hosea 13:15 מְקוֹר/וֹ֙ meqoro HNcmsc/Sp3ms his spring his spring
H4726-01 Zechariah 13:1 מָק֣וֹר maqor HNcmsa fountain wellspring
H4726-02 Psalms 36:10 מְק֣וֹר meqor HNcmsc fountain spring-source of
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