[מַי]580 noun masculine[2Sam 14:14] only plural מַ֫יִם waters, water (Late Hebrew id.; MI23 [ין]מ; SI5 המים; Aramaic מַיָּא, מַיִּין, Assyrian mû, plural mê, also mâmu DlHWB 394; Arabic Ethiopic , plural ; Sabean [מו], מום plural מון, Minaean [מה], plural מהן DHM6th Or. Congr. (Leiden) ii. 1, 451 f. (see on these forms BaZMG xiii.1888, 341 ff.)); — מַ֫יִם (מָ֑יִם) [Gen 1:2] +; הַמַּ֫יְמָה [Exod 7:15]; [Exod 8:16] construct מֵי [Gen 7:7] + 71 t.; מֵימֵי [Exod 4:9] + 10 t. + Qr [2Kgs 18:27] = [Isa 36:12] suffix מֵימַי [Hos 2:7] + [1Sam 25:11] (but read here יֵינִי ᵐ5 Ew Th We Klo Dr Kit Bu); מֵימֶ֫יךָ [Exod 23:25] + 3 t.; מֵימָיו [Num 20:8] + 6 t.; מֵימֶיהָ [Jer 6:7]; [Jer 50:38] מֵימֵינוּ [Lam 5:4] מֵימֵיהֶם [Exod 7:19] + 4 t.; — waters, water (c. adjective plural [Gen 26:19]; [Exod 15:10]; [Lev 14:5]; [Lev 14:6]; [Lev 14:50] + often, so always with adjective; also with plural participle [Num 5:18]; [Num 5:19]; [Num 5:24]; [2Kgs 3:20] +; with plural pronoun [Num 20:13]; [Num 27:14]; [2Kgs 2:21] +; compare suffix [Josh 4:18] before plural verb [Gen 1:9]; [Gen 1:20]; [Gen 1:21]; [Gen 7:17] + often; after plural verb [Josh 3:13]; [Isa 28:17]; [Prov 9:17]; [Ezek 31:4] +; rarely with singular verb; before, [Gen 9:15]; [Lev 11:34]; [Num 20:2]; [Num 24:7]; [Num 33:14]; [2Kgs 3:9] after, [Num 19:13]; [Num 19:20]); —
1. a. water of a spring or well (עַיִן, בְּאֵר) [Gen 16:7]; [Gen 24:11]; [Gen 24:13] (twice in verse); [Gen 24:43]; [Exod 15:27] (twice in verse) (J), [Gen 21:19]; [Gen 21:25]; [Num 20:17]; [Num 21:16] (E), etc.; for drinking, also [Amos 4:8]; [Amos 8:11]; [Jonah 3:7] + often; out of rock [Exod 17:6] (E), [Num 20:8] (twice in verse); [Num 20:10]; [Num 20:11] (P), [Deut 8:15] etc.; מֵי מְרִיבָה (RSSemitic i. 165; 2nd ed. 181) [Num 20:13]; [Num 20:24]; [Num 27:14] (P), [Deut 33:8]; [Ps 81:8]; [Ps 106:32] compare [Deut 32:51]; [Ezek 47:19]; [Ezek 48:28] for washing (hands, feet, person) [Gen 18:4]; [Gen 24:32]; [Gen 43:24] (J), [2Kgs 3:11]; [Exod 29:4]; [Exod 30:20]; [Lev 15:5]; [Lev 15:6] + (P); (victims) [Lev 1:9]; [Lev 1:13]; [Lev 8:21] (P); (vessels) [Lev 6:21]; [Lev 12:32]; [Lev 12:34] (P); (garments) [Lev 15:17]; [Num 19:8] (P); for cooking [Exod 12:9] (P), compare [Isa 64:1]; [Ezek 24:3] (symbolic); for purification [Num 8:7] (מֵי חַטָּאת) [Num 19:9] (מֵי נִדָּה), compare v[Num 19:13] v[Num 19:18] v[Num 19:20] v[Num 19:21] v[Num 19:31]; [Num 31:23] (twice in verse) (all P), [Ezek 36:25] (figurative).
\ \ b. of a river, Nile [Exod 2:10]; [Exod 4:9] (twice in verse) (J), [Jer 2:18] etc.; Jordan [Josh 3:8] (D), v[Josh 3:15] v[Josh 3:16] (JE), etc.; Euphrates [Isa 8:7] (figurative), [Jer 2:18] Ezekiel's river [Ezek 47:1] (twice in verse); [Ezek 47:2] +, etc.; of streams, canals, etc., especially, as condition of fertility [Deut 8:7]; [Deut 10:7]; [Isa 1:30]; [Prov 30:16]; [2Kgs 3:17] +, etc.
\ \ c. of sea [Amos 5:8]; [Amos 9:6] Red Sea [Exod 15:8]; [Exod 15:10]; [Exod 15:19] (song), [Exod 14:21]; [Exod 14:22]; [Exod 14:26] + (P), [Josh 2:10] (D), etc.
\ \ d. of flood [Gen 7:7]; [Gen 7:10]; [Gen 8:3]; [Gen 8:7]; [Gen 8:8]; [Gen 8:9]; [Gen 8:11] (J), [Gen 6:17]; [Gen 7:6]; [Gen 7:17]; [Gen 7:18] (twice in verse); [Gen 7:19]; [Gen 8:5]; [Gen 9:11]; [Gen 9:15] (P); so מֵינֹֿחַ [Isa 54:9] (twice in verse) waters of Noah.
\ \ e. subterranean [Exod 20:4] (E), [Deut 4:18]; [Deut 5:8], compare [Job 26:5]; [Ps 136:6]. feminine in clouds [Jer 10:13]; [Job 26:8]; [Ps 29:3] (twice in verse); [Ps 104:3]; [Ps 148:4], etc.
\ \ g. of rain [Judg 5:4]; [2Sam 21:10]; [Deut 11:11]; [Ps 65:10]; [Job 5:10] (|| מָטָר), etc.
\ \ h. of dew [Judg 6:38].
\ \ i. primÊval deep [Gen 1:2]; [Gen 1:6] (P).
2. with proper names, of location (q. v.), to denote springs, streams, or seas belonging to, near, such places: מֵימֵי מִצְרַיִם [Exod 7:19]; [Exod 8:2] מֵי מְרִיבָה (see above 1 a); מֵי מֵרוֺם [Josh 11:5]; [Josh 11:7] מֵי עֵיןשֶֿׁמֶשׁ [Josh 15:7] מֵי נֶפְתּוֺחַ [Josh 15:9]; [Josh 18:15] מֵי יְרִיחוֺ [Josh 16:1] מֵי מְגִּדּוֺ [Judg 5:19] מֵי נִמְרִ(י)ם [Isa 15:6]; [Jer 48:34] מֵי דִימוֺן [Isa 15:9] compare מֵי הַשִּׁלֹּחַ [Isa 8:6] מֵימֵי גִּיחוֺן הָעֶלְיוֺן [2Chr 32:30] compare also proper name, of a location מִשְׂרְפוֺת מַיִם [Josh 11:8]; [Josh 13:6].
3. special uses are: מֵי רַגְלַיִם water of the feet = urine [2Kgs 18:27] = [Isa 36:12] compare מַדְמֵנָה בְּמֵי [Isa 25:10] Kt in water of a dunghill (> Qr בְּמוֺ); מַיִם לַחַץ water (which is) distress, because drunk in imprisonment [1Kgs 22:27] (|| לֶחֶם לַחַץ) = [2Chr 18:26] בְּמֵישָֿׁ֑לֶג in snow-water [Job 9:30] Qr (Kt במו; Me Hoffm Siegf כְּמוֺ), מֵימֵי שֶׁלֶג [Job 24:19] מַיִם קְדשִׁים [Num 5:17] holy water (compare RSSem.165, 2nd ed.181, but text dubious, see Di); מֵי הַמָּרִים bitter water [Num 5:18]; [Num 5:19]; [Num 5:23]; [Num 5:24] compare [Exod 15:23] (כִּי מָרִים הֵם), opposed to וַיִּמְתְּקוּ הַמַּיִם v[Exod 15:25] and the waters were sweetened; מֵי חַטָּאת, מֵי נִדָּה see above 1 a; מַיִם חַיִּים living (i.e. running) water [Lev 14:5]; [Lev 14:6]; [Lev 14:50]; [Lev 14:51]; [Lev 14:52]; [Num 19:17], also (figurative) [Zech 14:8] (compare [Ezek 47]), and (figurative) [Jer 2:13]; [Jer 17:13]. See also below (compare [Num 21:17]; [Num 21:18] see RSSem.i.127.157; 2nd ed.135,176).
4. among figurative uses are:
\ \ a. of distress [Isa 43:2]; [Ps 66:12] (|| אֵשׁ), [Ps 69:2]; [Lam 3:54] usually many waters [2Sam 22:17] = [Ps 18:17], compare [Job 22:11]; [Ps 32:6]; [Ps 144:7], or deep waters [Ps 69:3]; [Ps 69:15], compare v[Ps 69:16] also מֵירֿאֹשׁ water of gall [Jer 8:14]; [Jer 9:14]; [Jer 23:15].
\ \ b. פֶּרֶץ מַיִם [2Sam 5:20] = [1Chr 14:11] of outbursting force.
\ \ c. מַיִם שְׁאוֺן [Isa 17:12]; [Isa 17:13] of rushing nations.
\ \ d. of what is impetuous, violent, overwhelming [Isa 28:2]; [Isa 28:17]; [Hos 10:7]; [Job 27:20]; [Ps 124:4]; [Ps 124:5]; [Ps 88:18] simileof impetuousness פַּחַז כַּמַּיִ ם [Gen 49:4].
\ \ e. (as running away) of heart in timidity [Josh 7:5], compare [Ps 22:16], of knees [Ezek 7:17]; [Ezek 21:12]. feminine of transitoriness [Job 11:16]; [Job 24:18]; [Ps 58:8].
\ \ g. of refreshment [Isa 32:2]; [Isa 49:10] spiritual [Isa 12:3].
\ \ h. מֵי מְנֻחוֺת [Ps 23:2] in figure of rest and peace, compare [Jer 31:9].
\ \ i. of reckless bloodshed (poured out like water) [Ps 79:3] compare pouring away (and not eating) blood [Deut 12:16]; [Deut 12:24]; [Deut 15:23].
\ \ j. בְּאֵר מַיִם חַיִּים [Song 4:15] figurative of bride; מַיִם מִבּוֺרֶ֑ךָ [Prov 5:15] of enjoyment of one's own wife; of harlotry מַיִם גְּנוּבִים [Prov 9:17] stolen waters.
\ \ k. of outpoured wrath of ׳י [Hos 5:10].
1. of abundant justice [Amos 5:24] masculine of outpoured feelings [Job 3:24] שִׁפְכִי כַמַּיִם לִבֵךְ [Lam 2:19]. — [Isa 48:1] read probably מִמְּעֵי for ᵑ0 מִמֵּי, so Secker Du CheHpt Skinner, compare Di.
The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon
License: Public domain document; formatting developed for use in https://marvel.bible by Eliran Wong.
Source: provided by Tim Morton, the developer of Bible Analyzer