מַבּוּעַ (mab.bu.a)
mab.bu.a
spring
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun mabbu‘a refers specifically to a spring or source of flowing water. In the biblical landscape, where rainfall can be unpredictable, this word highlights a reliable, natural outlet from which life-giving liquid emerges continuously.
Its root relates to the idea of bubbling forth or issuing out, emphasizing the dynamic nature of the water rather than a static pool. This distinction is important in verses like Ecclesiastes 1:7, where streams run into the sea yet never fill it, contrasting with the steady, defined source implied by mabbu‘a.
Though rare, appearing only three times in Scripture, its usage in Isaiah underscores God’s provision. The word carries a sense of divine sustenance, pointing to the creator as the ultimate source of these earthly springs that sustain life in arid regions.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
In the dry landscapes of the ancient Near East, a spring was not just a pretty sight; it was a matter of life and death. The Hebrew word mabbu‘a describes this reliable source of flowing water, distinct from stagnant pools or temporary rain. It speaks of something that bubbles forth continuously, sustained by an underground reserve rather than surface conditions.
When we face seasons where our own resources feel dry, this imagery offers a quiet comfort. The promise in Isaiah 35:7 is that even the most barren places will yield these life-giving springs. It reminds us that true sustenance does not come from our ability to generate water, but from the Creator who provides it. We are invited to rest in the certainty that He leads us by these steady sources, ensuring we do not hunger or thirst.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ water spring1×
- springs of1×
- <into>/ springs of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַבּ֥וּעֵי1×
- לְ/מַבּ֣וּעֵי1×
- הַ/מַּבּ֔וּעַ1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 35:7
The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water. Grass with reeds and rushes will be in the habitation of jackals, where they lay.
This verse uses the word to promise a miraculous transformation where arid land becomes a reliable source of water for God's redeemed people.
-
Isaiah 49:10
They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun strike them, for he who has mercy on them will lead them. He will guide them by springs of water.
Here the term describes the specific path God guides His servants along, ensuring their physical needs are met with continuous provision.
-
Ecclesiastes 12:6
before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the spring, or the wheel broken at the cistern,
The word appears in a metaphor for the end of life, where the pitcher breaking at the spring signals the finality of death.