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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Well
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(1) (בּ×ר, be'eÌ„r; compare Arabic bi'r, “well†or “cisternâ€; usually artificial: “And Isaac's servants digged (dug) in the valley, and found there a well of springing (margin “livingâ€) water†(); some times covered: “Jacob ... rolled the stone from the well's mouth†(). Be'eÌ„r may also be a pit: “The vale of Siddim was full of slime pits†(); “the pit of destruction†(). (2) (בּור, boÌ„r), usually “pitâ€: “Let us slay him, and cast him into one of the pits†(); may be “wellâ€: “drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem†().
(3) (πηγηÌ, peÌ„geÌ„Ì), usually “running water,†“fount,†or “sourceâ€: “Doth the fountain send forth from the same opening sweet water and bitter?†(); may be “wellâ€; compare “Jacob's well†(). (4) (φÏεÌαÏ, phreÌar), usually “pitâ€: “the pit of the abyss†(); but “wellâ€; compare “Jacob's well†(, ): “Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a well†(the King James Version “pitâ€) (). (5) (κÏηÌνη, kreÌ„ÌneÌ„), “wells†(Sirach 48:17), Latin, fons, “spring†(2 Esdras 2:32).
(6) עין, ‛ayin, compare Arabic ‛ain “fountain,†“springâ€: “the fountain (English Versions of the Bible) which is in Jezreel†(); “In Elim were twelve springs (the King James Version “fountains†of water†(); “She (Rebekah) went down to the fountain†(the King James Version “wellâ€) (); “the jackal's well†(the English Revised Version “the dragon's well,†the King James Version “the dragon wellâ€) (). (7) (מעין, ma‛yaÌ„n), same root as (6); “the fountain (the King James Version “wellâ€) of the waters of Nephtoah†(); “Passing through the valley of Weeping (the King James Version “Bacaâ€) they make it a place of springs†(the King James Version “wellâ€) (); “Ye shall draw water out of the wells of salvation†(). (8) (מקור, maÌ„kÌ£oÌ„r), usually figurative: “With thee is the fountain of life†(); “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain (the King James Version “wellâ€) of life†(); “make her (Babylon's) fountain (the King James Version “springâ€) dry†(); “a corrupted spring†(). (9) (מבּוּע, mabbuÌ„a‛), root × ×‘×¢, naÌ„bha‛, “to flow,†“spring,†“bubble upâ€; compare Arabic (nab‛, manba‛, yanbu‛) “fountainâ€: “or the pitcher is broken at the fountain†(); “the thirsty ground springs of water†(). (10) (מוצ×, moÌ„caÌ„'), “spring,†root יצ×, yaÌ„caÌ„', “to go out,†“the dry land springs of water†(); “a dry land into watersprings†(); “the upper spring of the waters of Gihon†(). (11) (× ×‘×š, neÌ„bhekh), root uncertain, reading doubtful; only in , “Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?†(12) (תּהו×, tehoÌ„m), “deep,†“abyssâ€; compare ; translated “springs,†the King James Version “depths†(). (13) (גּל, gal), (root גּלל, gaÌ„lal), “to rollâ€; compare Gilgal (); “a spring shut up†(). (14) (גּלּה, gullaÌ„h), “bowl,†“basin,†“pool,†same root: “Give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper sprigs and the nether springs†(); compare Arabic (kullat), pronounced gullat, “a marble,†“a cannon-ball.â€
As is clear from references cited above, wells and springs were not sharply distinguished in name, though be'ēr, and phrear are used mainly of wells, and ‛ayin, ma‛yān, mōcā', mabbūa‛ and (poetically) māḳōr are chiefly used of fountains. The Arabic bi'r, the equivalent of the Hebrew be'ēr, usually denotes a cistern for rain-water, though it may be qualified as bi'r jam‛, “well of gathering,†i.e. for rain-water, or as bi'r nab‛, “well of springing water.†A spring or natural fountain is called in Arabic ‛ain or nab‛ (compare Hebrew ‛ayin and mabbūa‛). These Arabic and Hebrew words for “well†and “spring†figure largely in place-names, modern and ancient: Beer (); Beer-elim (), etc.; ‛Ain (a) on the northeast boundary of Palestine (), (b) in the South of Judah, perhaps = En-rimmon (); Enaim (); Enam (), etc. Modern Arabic names with ‛ain are very numerous, e.g. ‛Ainul-fashkhah, ‛Ain-ul-ḥajleh, ‛Ain-kârim, etc. See CISTERN; FOUNTAIN; PIT; POOL.