מַעְיָן (ma.yan)
ma.yan
spring
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 21 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun maʿyan refers to a spring or fountain, specifically a natural source where water emerges from the ground. It appears twenty-one times in the Old Testament, most frequently in poetic books like Psalms and Proverbs. The word derives from ʿayin, meaning "eye," which suggests the image of a spring as an eye that opens to release life-giving water.
This imagery carries significant weight in Scripture. In Genesis 7:11 and 8:2, the "fountains of the great deep" break open during the flood, describing a chaotic release of subterranean waters. Conversely, in Psalm 84:6, the psalmist speaks of blessing as he passes through the "valley of Baca," where God provides springs of water, turning a place of weeping into a source of refreshment.
The term also functions metaphorically to represent joy and satisfaction. Proverbs 5:16 warns against letting one’s springs be scattered abroad, using the image of a private, protected well to symbolize marital fidelity and exclusive delight. Similarly, Psalm 87:7 describes participants in worship declaring, "All my fountains are in you," identifying God as the ultimate source of their joy and stability.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word maʿyan describes a natural spring, an eye of water opening from the ground to give life. In ancient Israel, these sources were vital for survival, yet Scripture uses them to point beyond physical thirst. They remind us that true satisfaction comes not from our own efforts but from God’s steady provision.
This imagery appears in moments of great joy and deep warning. Proverbs 5:16 uses the spring as a metaphor for marital faithfulness, urging believers to keep their deepest affections protected and exclusive. Conversely, Psalm 87:7 declares that all our springs are found in God alone, acknowledging Him as the ultimate source of our stability and joy.
When life feels dry or uncertain, this word invites us to look upward. We do not need to manufacture our own refreshment. Instead, we can trust in the One who opens rivers in the wilderness and turns rock into pools of water, providing what we need for every season.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 21 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a spring4×
- [the] springs of4×
- springs2×
- [the] spring of2×
- the/ springs1×
- springs/ your1×
- springs/ my1×
- spring/ his1×
- spring of1×
- into/ spring of/ his1×
- from/ [the] springs of1×
- a spring of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מַעְיָ֥ן2×
- מַעְיָ֣ן2×
- מַעְיָנַ֥/י1×
- מַעְיָנ֔/וֹ1×
- מַעְיָנ֑וֹת1×
- מַעְיַן֙1×
- מַעְיַן\־1×
- מַעְיַ֣ן1×
- מַעְיַ֖ן1×
- מַעְיְנֹתֶ֣י/ךָ1×
- מַעְיְנֹת֙1×
- מַעְיְנֹ֣ת1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 5:16
Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
Here the spring symbolizes marital fidelity, warning against scattering one's deepest affections in public or improper places.
-
Isaiah 41:18
I will open rivers on the bare heights, and springs in the middle of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
God promises to create springs in valleys and rivers on heights, demonstrating His power to bring life to barren circumstances.
-
Proverbs 25:26
Like a muddied spring and a polluted well, so is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.
This metaphor compares a righteous person who yields to the wicked with a polluted spring, highlighting the damage caused by compromising integrity.