FOUNTAIN (בּﯴר, H1014, pit, well, cistern, referring to the hole or excavation in which water may be found; בַּיִר, a variant of the former term; מַבּוּעַ, H4432, from נָבַע, H5580, flow, spring, bubble up; מַעְיָן, H5078, spring, also עַ֫יִנ֮, H6525, possibly related to עַ֫יִנ֒, H6524, eye; מָקﯴר, H5227, a hole, a well; Gr. πηγή, G4380, spring), a source of fresh running water.

In a country like Pal., which depends largely on rainfall for water, there are usually three sources from which it may be obtained: springs, wells, and cisterns. All three were used from the earliest recorded times, and the words listed above were used to describe them. Each has been tr. fountain as meaning a source of water.

1. בּﯴר, H1014, describes a cistern or well, a hole in which water may be found; but it may be used of any excavation in the earth. Bir (Jer 6:7) is prob. only a vocal variant of bor, and refers definitely to a well.

2. מַבּוּעַ, H4432, derived from נָבַע, H5580, to bubble or to spring, denotes a bubbling spring, prob. on the surface of the ground (Eccl 12:6; Isa 35:7; 49:10).

3. עַ֫יִנ֮, H6525, which is the most common Heb. word for spring, occurs frequently in the OT, esp. in the prefix which denotes some particular spring; e.g. En [Ain] -gedi (1 Sam 24:1), or En [Ain] -rogel, near Jerusalem (2 Sam 17:17; 1 Kings 1:9). A cognate form is used both literally (Gen 7:11) and figuratively of a source of wisdom or learning (Prov 18:4).

4. מָקﯴר, H5227, derived from קוּר֒, H7769, to dig, originally denoted a well, but is used of a spring, frequently in a fig. sense (Prov 25:26).

5. There are only 12 uses of πηγή, G4380, in the NT, variously tr. by well and fountain.

Springs or fountains were essential to life, and the early settlements in Pal. usually clustered around a spring. Fortified cities grew up beside them, and often enclosed the spring in order to insure an ample supply of water in case of siege. In the war with the Philistines the Israelite army camped by the fountain in Jezreel, where there was abundant water for their forces (1 Sam 29:1), and the Samaritan woman encountered Jesus at the well of Jacob near Sychar (John 4:6) when she went to replenish the supply for her household. Fountain is used fig. of a source of wisdom (Prov 18:4) or of salvation (Jer 17:13) or of cleansing (Zech 13:1).