What does מַעְיָן (maʿĕyān) mean in the Bible?
מַעְיָן (maʿĕyān): A natural water source that metaphorically represents life-giving abundance, satisfaction, and divine provision in Hebrew thought
Hebrew · H4599
מַעְיָן
A fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a source (of satisfaction)
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מַעְיָן H4599
Pronunciation maʿĕyān
What does מַעְיָן (maʿĕyān) mean in the Bible?
מַעְיָן (maʿĕyān): A natural water source that metaphorically represents life-giving abundance, satisfaction, and divine provision in Hebrew thought
Full entry for מַעְיָן (H4599) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H4599?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include spring (5), springs (2), the spring (2), The springs (2), a fountain (1).
Where does מַעְיָן (maʿĕyān) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 7:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (5), Proverbs (3), 2 Kings (2), Genesis (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It spring 5× 1 Kings 18:5, 2 Kings 3:19, 2 Kings 3:25, Proverbs 25:26
springs 2× Psalms 104:10, Proverbs 8:24
the spring 2× Joshua 15:9, Joshua 18:15
The springs 2× Genesis 8:2, 2 Chronicles 32:4
a fountain 1× Song Of Solomon 4:12
a place of springs 1× Psalms 84:6
a spring 1× Leviticus 11:36
and a spring 1× Joel 3:18
and fountains 1× Isaiah 41:18
and his spring 1× Hosea 13:15
from the springs 1× Isaiah 12:3
into a fountain 1× Psalms 114:8
my springs [of joy] 1× Psalms 87:7
the fountain 1× Psalms 74:15
the fountains 1× Genesis 7:11
Why should your springs 1× Proverbs 5:16
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 7:11 מַעְיְנֹת֙ to the fountains Noun - masculine plural construct Genesis 8:2 מַעְיְנֹ֣ת to The springs Noun - masculine plural construct Leviticus 11:36 מַעְיָ֥ן to a spring Noun - masculine singular Joshua 15:9 מַעְיַן֙ to the spring Noun - masculine singular construct Joshua 18:15 מַעְיַ֖ן to the spring Noun - masculine singular construct 1 Kings 18:5 מַעְיְנֵ֣י to spring Noun - masculine plural construct 2 Kings 3:19 מַעְיְנֵי־ to spring Noun - masculine plural construct 2 Kings 3:25 מַעְיַן־ to spring Noun - masculine singular construct 2 Chronicles 32:4 הַמַּעְיָנ֔וֹת to the springs Article | Noun - masculine plural Psalms 74:15 מַעְיָ֣ן to the fountain Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 7:11
Aligned rows 23
Books represented 12
Genesis 2 Leviticus 1 Joshua 2 1 Kings 1 2 Kings 2 2 Chronicles 1 Psalms 5 Proverbs 3 Song Of Solomon 2 Isaiah 2 Hosea 1 Joel 1
Source forms
מַעְיָ֣ן 3x ma‘·yān Psalms 74:15, Psalms 84:6, Proverbs 25:26
מַעְיָ֥ן 2x ma‘·yān Leviticus 11:36, Song Of Solomon 4:12
הַמַּעְיָנ֔וֹת 1x ham·ma‘·yā·nō·wṯ 2 Chronicles 32:4
וּמַעְיָ֗ן 1x ū·ma‘·yān Joel 3:18
לְמַעְיְנוֹ־ 1x lə·ma‘·yə·nōw- Psalms 114:8
מִמַּעַיְנֵ֖י 1x mim·ma·‘ay·nê Isaiah 12:3
מַעְיַן֙ 1x ma‘·yan Joshua 15:9
מַעְיַ֖ן 1x ma‘·yan Joshua 18:15
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 5x Leviticus 11:36, Psalms 74:15, Psalms 84:6, Proverbs 25:26
Noun - masculine plural construct 4x Genesis 7:11, Genesis 8:2, 1 Kings 18:5, 2 Kings 3:19
Noun - masculine singular construct 4x Joshua 15:9, Joshua 18:15, 2 Kings 3:25, Song Of Solomon 4:15
Noun - masculine plural 3x Psalms 104:10, Proverbs 8:24, Isaiah 41:18
Article | Noun - masculine plural 1x 2 Chronicles 32:4
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular 1x Joel 3:18
Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular 1x Psalms 87:7
Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular 1x Proverbs 5:16
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. A natural water source that metaphorically represents life-giving abundance, satisfaction, and divine provision in Hebrew thought
Source Gloss
a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a source (of satisfaction)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
A natural water source that metaphorically represents life-giving abundance, satisfaction, and divine provision in Hebrew thought
a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a source (of satisfaction) BDB: spring Usage: fountain, spring, well.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Literal water sources, springs of the deep bursting forth during flood
Literal springs and water sources, physically drying up as judgment
Figurative source of vitality and righteousness, corrupted or troubled
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 23 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain