Lexical Summary
mayim: Water
Original Word:מַיִם
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:mayim
Pronunciation:mah'-yim
Phonetic Spelling:(mah'-yim)
KJV: + piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring))
NASB:water, waters, flood, loins, pool, watering
Word Origin:[dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense)]
1. water
2. (figuratively) juice
3. (by euphemism) urine, semen
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
waste, wasting, watering, course,
Dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen -- + piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionwaters, water
NASB Translationflood (1), loins (1), pool (1), Water (5), water (373), watering (1), waterless* (1), waters (192).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
II. [] =
water.
[]5802Samuel 14:14 only plural (Late Hebrewid.; MI23 []; SI5 ; Aramaic , ,
Assyrianmû, pluralmê, alsomâmu DlHWB 394; Arabic
Ethiopic
, plural
; Sabean [], plural , Minaean [], plural DHM6th Or. Congr. (Leiden) ii. 1, 451 f. (see on these forms BaZMG xiii.1888, 341 ff.)); — ()Genesis 1:2 +;Exodus 7:15;Exodus 8:16; constructGenesis 7:7 71t.;Exodus 4:9 10t. + Qr2 Kings 18:27 =Isaiah 36:12; suffixHosea 2:7 +1 Samuel 25:11 (but read here Ew Th We Klo Dr Kit Bu);Exodus 23:25 3t.;Numbers 20:8 6t.;Jeremiah 6:7;Jeremiah 50:38;Lamentations 5:4;Exodus 7:19 4t.; —waters, water (c. adjective pluralGenesis 26:19;Exodus 15:10;Leviticus 14:5,6,50 + often, so always with adjective; also with plural participleNumbers 5:18,19,24;2 Kings 3:20 +; with plural pronounNumbers 20:13;Numbers 27:14;2 Kings 2:21 +; compare suffixJoshua 4:18; before plural verbGenesis 1:9,20,21;Genesis 7:17 + often; after plural verbJoshua 3:13;Isaiah 28:17;Proverbs 9:17;Ezekiel 31:4 +; rarely with singular verb; before,Genesis 9:15;Leviticus 11:34;Numbers 20:2;Numbers 24:7;Numbers 33:14;2 Kings 3:9; after,Numbers 19:13,20); —
water of a spring or well (, )Genesis 16:7;Genesis 24:11,13 (twice in verse);Genesis 24:43;Exodus 15:27 (twice in verse) (J),Genesis 21:19,25;Numbers 20:17;Numbers 21:16 (E), etc.; for drinking, alsoAmos 4:8;Amos 8:11;Jonah 3:7 + often; out of rockExodus 17:6 (E),Numbers 20:8 (twice in verse);Numbers 20:10,11 (P),Deuteronomy 8:15 etc.; (RSSemitic i. 165; 2nd ed. 181)Numbers 20:13,24;Numbers 27:14 (P),Deuteronomy 33:8;Psalm 81:8;Psalm 106:32; compareDeuteronomy 32:51;Ezekiel 47:19;Ezekiel 48:28; for washing (hands, feet, person)Genesis 18:4;Genesis 24:32;Genesis 43:24 (J),2 Kings 3:11;Exodus 29:4;Exodus 30:20;Leviticus 15:5,6 + (P); (victims)Leviticus 1:9,13;Leviticus 8:21 (P); (vessels)Leviticus 6:21;Leviticus 12:32;Leviticus 12:34 (P); (garments)Leviticus 15:17;Numbers 19:8 (P); for cookingExodus 12:9 (P), compareIsaiah 64:1;Ezekiel 24:3 (symbolic); for purificationNumbers 8:7 ()Numbers 19:9 (), compareNumbers 19:13;Numbers 19:18;Numbers 19:20;Numbers 19:21;Numbers 19:31;Numbers 31:23 (twice in verse) (all P),Ezekiel 36:25 (figurative).
Exodus 2:10;Exodus 4:9 (twice in verse) (J),Jeremiah 2:18 etc.; JordanJoshua 3:8 (D),Joshua 3:15;Joshua 3:16 (JE), etc.; EuphratesIsaiah 8:7 (figurative),Jeremiah 2:18; Ezekiel's riverEzekiel 47:1 (twice in verse);Ezekiel 47:2 +, etc.; of streams, canals, etc., especially, as condition of fertilityDeuteronomy 8:7;Deuteronomy 10:7;Isaiah 1:30;Proverbs 30:16;2 Kings 3:17 +, etc.
Amos 5:8;Amos 9:6; Red SeaExodus 15:8,10,19 (song),Exodus 14:21,22,26 + (P),Joshua 2:10 (D), etc.
Genesis 7:7,10;Genesis 8:3,7,8,9,11 (J),Genesis 6:17;Genesis 7:6,17,18 (twice in verse);Genesis 7:19;Genesis 8:5;Genesis 9:11,15 (P); soIsaiah 54:9 (twice in verse)waters of Noah.
Exodus 20:4 (E),Deuteronomy 4:18;Deuteronomy 5:8, compareJob 26:5;Psalm 136:6.
Jeremiah 10:13;Job 26:8;Psalm 29:3 (twice in verse);Psalm 104:3;Psalm 148:4, etc.
Judges 5:4;2 Samuel 21:10;Deuteronomy 11:11;Psalm 65:10;Job 5:10 ("" ), etc.
Judges 6:38.
Genesis 1:2,6 (P).
with proper names, of location (q. v.), to denote springs, streams, or seas belonging to, near, such places:Exodus 7:19;Exodus 8:2; (see above );Joshua 11:5,7;Joshua 15:7;Joshua 15:9;Joshua 18:15;Joshua 16:1;Judges 5:19;Isaiah 15:6;Jeremiah 48:34;Isaiah 15:9; compareIsaiah 8:6; 2Chronicles 32:30; compare also proper name, of a locationJoshua 11:8;Joshua 13:6.
water of the feet = urine2 Kings 18:27 =Isaiah 36:12; compareIsaiah 25:10 Ktin water of a dunghill (> Qr );water (which is)distress, because drunk in imprisonment1 Kings 22:27 ("" ) = 2 Chronicles 18:26;in snow-waterJob 9:30 Qr (Kt ; Me Hoffm Siegf ),Job 24:19;Numbers 5:17holy water (compare RSSem.165, 2nd ed.181, but text dubious, see Di);bitter waterNumbers 5:18,19,23,24; compareExodus 15:23 (), opposed toExodus 15:25and the waters were sweetened; , see above ;living (i.e. running)waterLeviticus 14:5,6,50,51,52;Numbers 19:17, also (figurative)Zechariah 14:8 (compareEzekiel 47), and (figurative)Jeremiah 2:13;Jeremiah 17:13. See also below (compareNumbers 21:17,18; see RSSem.i.127.157; 2nd ed.135,176).
Isaiah 43:2;Psalm 66:12 ("" ),Psalm 69:2;Lamentations 3:54; usuallymany waters2 Samuel 22:17 =Psalm 18:17, compareJob 22:11;Psalm 32:6;Psalm 144:7, ordeep watersPsalm 69:3;Psalm 69:15, comparePsalm 69:16; alsowater of gallJeremiah 8:14;Jeremiah 9:14;Jeremiah 23:15.
2 Samuel 5:20 =1 Chronicles 14:11 of outbursting force.
Isaiah 17:12,13 of rushing nations.
Isaiah 28:2,17;Hosea 10:7;Job 27:20;Psalm 124:4;Psalm 124:5;Psalm 88:18; simileof impetuousnessGenesis 49:4.
(as running away) of heart in timidityJoshua 7:5, comparePsalm 22:16, of kneesEzekiel 7:17;Ezekiel 21:12.
Job 11:16;Job 24:18;Psalm 58:8.
Isaiah 32:2;Isaiah 49:10; spiritualIsaiah 12:3.
Psalm 23:2 in figure of rest and peace, compareJeremiah 31:9.
(poured out like water)Psalm 79:3; compare pouring away (and not eating) bloodDeuteronomy 12:16,24;Deuteronomy 15:23.
Songs 4:15 figurative of bride;Proverbs 5:15 of enjoyment of one's own wife; of harlotryProverbs 9:17stolen waters.
Hosea 5:10.
Amos 5:24Job 3:24;Lamentations 2:19. —Isaiah 48:1 read probably for , so Secker Du CheHpt Skinner, compare Di.
Topical Lexicon
Occurrence and DistributionWith approximately 581 appearances, “waters” permeate every genre of the Old Testament—narrative, law, poetry, prophecy, and wisdom—underscoring their theological weight as both a literal necessity and a revelatory symbol of God’s activity.
Waters in Creation and the Primeval Order
• Genesis opens with “the Spirit of God … hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2).
• On the second day, God “separated the waters beneath the expanse from the waters above it” (Genesis 1:7), revealing divine mastery over primordial chaos.
•Psalm 104:6-9 revisits this ordering, praising the Lord who “set a boundary they cannot cross.” By controlling waters, God establishes stability for life and covenant history.
Sustainer of Life and Divine Provision
• Rain, springs, rivers, and wells illustrate Yahweh’s ongoing care. “He gives rain to the earth and sends water upon the fields” (Job 5:10).
• The promise-land ideal is repeatedly framed by water abundance (Deuteronomy 8:7;Isaiah 35:6-7).
• God answers human thirst: “He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them drink as abundant as the depths” (Psalm 78:15; cf.Exodus 17:6;Numbers 20:11).
Waters in Judgment and Deliverance
• The Flood (Genesis 6–9) cleanses a corrupt world while preserving a remnant. “All the fountains of the great deep burst forth” (Genesis 7:11).
• In Egypt, the Nile that sustained life becomes a plague of blood (Exodus 7:20-21).
• The Red Sea both destroys Egypt’s army and saves Israel: “The waters returned and covered the chariots” (Exodus 14:28).
•Joshua 3 recounts the Jordan’s miraculous halt, marking covenant entry into Canaan. Such dual themes of judgment and salvation foreshadow ultimate redemption.
Ritual Purification and Worship
• Priests washed hands and feet at the bronze basin “so that they would not die” (Exodus 30:17-21).
• Cleansing rites for skin diseases and corpse contamination required “running water” combined with sacrificial blood or ashes (Leviticus 14;Numbers 19).
• During the Feast of Tabernacles, later Jewish tradition added a joyful water-drawing ceremony (Isaiah 12:3 anticipated,John 7:37 alluded), reflecting scriptural anticipation of eschatological blessing.
Miraculous Interventions
• Bitter waters at Marah became sweet (Exodus 15:23-25).
• Elijah divided the Jordan with his mantle (2 Kings 2:8); Elisha repeated the sign and healed Jericho’s spring (2 Kings 2:21-22).
• Naaman’s cleansing in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:14) joins water with faith and obedience.
• Water often serves as the medium through which God authenticates His prophets.
Poetic and Wisdom Imagery
• Blessing: “He will be like a tree planted by streams of water” (Psalm 1:3).
• Longing for God: “As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs for You” (Psalm 42:1).
• Unreliability of wicked words: “Like a muddied spring or a polluted well” (Proverbs 25:26).
• Stability in trial: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2).
Prophetic and Eschatological Visions
•Isaiah 44:3 links outpoured water with the Spirit and future renewal.
•Ezekiel 47 describes a life-giving river flowing from the temple, deepening as it goes, healing the Dead Sea.
•Zechariah 14:8 foresees “living water” streaming from Jerusalem, summer and winter alike.
• These visions culminate inRevelation 22’s “river of the water of life,” showing Scripture’s internal harmony.
Theological Themes
1. Creator-creature distinction: Only God tames the chaotic deep.
2. Covenant faithfulness: Waters test, yet never thwart, God’s redemptive plan.
3. Holiness and purity: Physical washing typifies necessary heart cleansing.
4. Eschatological hope: Abundant, healing waters symbolize the consummated kingdom.
Ministry Reflections
• Dependence: Just as Israel relied on wells and rain, believers must seek ongoing sustenance from God’s Word and Spirit.
• Purity: The priestly washings invite self-examination and confession.
• Mission: Prophetic visions of universal waters inspire gospel proclamation “to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6).
• Comfort: Pastoral care draws on promises such as “You give them drink from Your river of delights” (Psalm 36:8), assuring the weary that God still leads to quiet waters.
Thus, from Genesis to Malachi, waters convey the sovereign mercy, righteous judgment, and unfailing provision of the Lord, pointing ultimately to the fountain of living waters found in Him.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּמֵ֣י בְּמֵ֥י בְּמֵֽי־ בְּמַ֖יִם בְּמַ֣יִם בְּמַ֤יִם בְּמַ֥יִם בַּמַּ֔יִם בַּמַּ֖֣יִם ׀ בַּמַּ֖יִם בַּמַּ֗יִם בַּמַּ֙יִם֙ בַּמַּ֛יִם בַּמַּ֣יִם בַּמַּ֧יִם בַּמַּיִם֒ בַּמַּיִם֮ בַּמָּ֑יִם בַּמָּֽיִם׃ בַמַּ֔יִם בַמַּ֖יִם בַמַּ֗יִם בַמַּ֙יִם֙ בַמָּֽיִם׃ בְּמֹ֥ו במו במי במי־ במים במים׃ הַ֝מַּ֗יִם הַ֫מָּ֥יִם הַמַּ֔יְמָה הַמַּ֔יִם הַמַּ֖יִם הַמַּ֗יִם הַמַּ֙יִם֙ הַמַּ֛יִם הַמַּ֜יִם הַמַּ֣יִם הַמַּ֤יִם הַמַּ֥יִם הַמַּ֨יִם הַמַּיִם֩ הַמָּ֑יְמָה הַמָּ֑יִם הַמָּֽיִם׃ המים המים׃ המימה וְ֝הַמַּ֗יִם וְהַמַּ֗יִם וְהַמַּ֣יִם וְהַמַּ֤יִם וְהַמַּ֥יִם וְכַמַּ֙יִם֙ וָמַ֜יִם וָמָ֑יִם וָמָֽיִם׃ וּ֝מַ֗יִם וּ֭מַיִם וּבְמַ֤יִם וּבְמַ֥יִם וּבַמַּ֑יִם וּבַמַּ֔יִם וּבַמַּ֖יִם וּבַמָּ֑יִם וּמִמֵּ֥י וּמֵ֣י וּמֵ֥י וּמֵֽימֵיהֶ֖ם וּמֵימֶ֕יךָ וּמֵימַ֔י וּמַ֕יִם וּמַ֖יִם וּמַ֗יִם וּמַ֙יִם֙ וּמַ֛יִם וּמַ֣יִם וּמַ֥יִם ובמים והמים וכמים ומי ומים ומים׃ ומימי ומימיהם ומימיך וממי כְּמַ֖יִם כְּמַ֣יִם כַ֝מַּ֗יִם כַ֭מַּיִם כַּ֭מַּיִם כַּמַּ֖יִם כַּמַּ֗יִם כַּמַּ֙יִם֙ כַּמַּ֥יִם כַּמָּֽיִם׃ כַמַּ֙יִם֙ כַמַּ֣יִם כמים כמים׃ לְמֵ֖י לְמֵ֥י לְמֵֽי־ לְמֵימֵ֣י לְמָֽיִם׃ לַמַּ֔יִם לַמַּ֣יִם לַמָּ֑יִם לָמָֽיִם׃ למי למי־ למים למים׃ למימי מִי מִמֵּ֛י מִמֵּ֣י מִמֵּימֵ֖י מִמֵּימֵ֣י מִמַּ֣יִם מִמַּ֥יִם מֵ֖י מֵ֚י מֵ֣י מֵ֤י מֵ֥י מֵ֧י מֵ֨י מֵֽי־ מֵֽימֵי־ מֵֽימֵיהֶ֔ם מֵי֙ מֵי־ מֵימֵ֙ינוּ֙ מֵימֵ֣י מֵימֵ֤י מֵימֵ֨י מֵימֵיהֶ֖ם מֵימֵיהֶ֣ם מֵימֶ֑יךָ מֵימֶ֔יהָ מֵימֶ֖יהָ מֵימֶ֤יךָ מֵימֶֽיךָ׃ מֵימַ֔י מֵימָ֑יו מֵימָ֔יו מֵימָ֖יו מֵימָֽיו׃ מַ֑יִם מַ֔יִם מַ֖יִם מַ֗יִם מַ֙יִם֙ מַ֚יִם מַ֛יִם מַ֜יִם מַ֝֗יִם מַ֝יִם מַ֣יִם מַ֤יִם מַ֥יִם מַ֧יִם מַ֨יִם מַ֨יִם ׀ מַ֭יִם מַּ֑יִם מַּ֔יִם מַּ֣יִם מַּ֨יִם ׀ מַֽיִם־ מַיִם֒ מַיִם֮ מָ֑יִם מָ֔יִם מָ֥יִם מָּ֑יִם מָּֽיִם׃ מָֽיִם׃ מי מי־ מים מים־ מים׃ מימי מימי־ מימיה מימיהם מימיו מימיו׃ מימיך מימיך׃ מימינו ממי ממים ממימי שָׁ֑לֶג שלג bam·ma·yim bam·mā·yim ḇam·ma·yim ḇam·mā·yim bammayim bammāyim ḇammayim ḇammāyim bə·ma·yim bə·mê bə·mê- bə·mōw beMayim bəmayim bəmê bəmê- beMei beMo bəmōw chamMayim ham·mā·yə·māh ham·ma·yim ham·mā·yim ham·may·māh hamMayemah hammāyəmāh hammayim hammāyim hamMaymah hammaymāh kam·ma·yim kam·mā·yim ḵam·ma·yim kammayim kammāyim ḵammayim kə·ma·yim keMayim kəmayim lā·mā·yim lam·ma·yim lam·mā·yim laMayim lāmāyim lammayim lammāyim lə·mā·yim lə·mê lə·mê- lə·mê·mê leMayim ləmāyim ləmê ləmê- leMei lemeiMei ləmêmê ma·yim mā·yim ma·yim- mayim māyim mayim- mê mê- mê·māw mê·may mê·mê mê·mê- mê·me·hā mê·mê·hem mê·me·ḵā mê·mê·nū mei meiMai meiMav meiMei meiMeicha meiMeiha meimeiHem meiMeinu mêmāw mêmay mêmê mêmê- mêmehā mêmêhem mêmeḵā mêmênū mi mî mim·ma·yim mim·mê mim·mê·mê miMayim miMei mimeiMei mimmayim mimmê mimmêmê šā·leḡ šāleḡ Shaleg ū·ḇam·ma·yim ū·ḇam·mā·yim ū·ḇə·ma·yim ū·ma·yim ū·mê ū·mê·may ū·mê·mê·hem ū·mê·me·ḵā ū·mim·mê ūḇammayim ūḇammāyim ūḇəmayim uMayim ūmayim ūmê uMei umeiMai umeiMeicha umeimeiHem ūmêmay ūmêmêhem ūmêmeḵā umiMei ūmimmê uvamMayim uveMayim vaMayim vamMayim vechamMayim vehamMayim wā·ma·yim wā·mā·yim wāmayim wāmāyim wə·ham·ma·yim wə·ḵam·ma·yim wəhammayim wəḵammayim
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