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Psalms 36:9 — Word Study

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WLCכִּֽי־ עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־ אֽוֹר׃

BSAto quenchrâvâh ashesdeshen placebayith Brooknachal delicacyʻêden to watershâqâh

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 36
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 9 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration ('or) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 36:9quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist declares that God is the source of life and illumination.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, reflecting on God's nature.
Where we areIn a meditation on God's provision and guidance.
The hard wordמְק֣וֹר
Take awayLife and understanding come from God.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbעֵדֶן The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 36:9

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Source of Life and Lightgenerated

8They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.
9For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.
10Extend Your loving devotion to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart.
11Let not the foot of the proud come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.

Psalm 36:9 emphasizes God's role as the fountain of life and light. The psalmist reflects on how God's presence provides not only physical sustenance but also spiritual insight, paralleling themes found in other scriptures such as Isaiah 12:3 and Jeremiah 2:13.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Isaiah 12:3With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,
2Jeremiah 2:13“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
3John 4:10–14Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
4John 7:37–39On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
5Revelation 21:6And He told me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give freely from the spring of the water of life.

The Key Word מְק֣וֹר, me.Korgenerated

The noun מְק֣וֹר (maqor) means 'fountain' or 'source' and is used here to signify a vital source of life. It indicates not just a physical fountain but also a metaphorical source of vitality and spiritual nourishment.

As a masculine singular construct, it connects directly with the following noun, emphasizing that God is the origin of life itself. This term is often associated with abundance and sustenance, reflecting the richness of God's provision.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The finite verb נִרְאֶה (nir'eh, 'we see') governs the structure of the verse, indicating perception. It is supported by two prepositional phrases that describe the source of life and light.

The sentence begins with a prepositional phrase, establishing the relationship of God as the source, followed by a noun phrase that identifies the subject matter of the verse.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates מְק֣וֹר as πιότητος (piotētos), which means 'of drinking' or 'source.' This choice emphasizes the nourishing aspect of God as a life-giving source, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but also highlighting a more physical interpretation.

The Greek translation reflects a broader understanding of the term, suggesting both spiritual and physical sustenance.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 36:9 tells us that God is the source of life and light. The psalmist expresses that in God's presence, we find both physical vitality and spiritual understanding, emphasizing the importance of God's role in our lives.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God is the fountain of life?

It signifies that God is the ultimate source of all life, providing both physical sustenance and spiritual nourishment.

How does God's light help us see light?

God's light provides clarity and understanding, allowing us to perceive truth and wisdom in our lives.

Why is light an important theme in the Bible?

Light symbolizes knowledge, purity, and divine presence, contrasting with darkness, which represents ignorance and evil.

How can we experience God's light in our lives?

By seeking a relationship with God through prayer, scripture, and community, we can gain insight and understanding.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what ways have I experienced God's provision in my life?
  2. How can I seek God's light in my daily decisions?
  3. What does it mean to me that God is the source of both physical and spiritual life?
  4. How can I share the light of understanding I receive from God with others?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early Church Fathers referenced this verse to discuss God's nature and the illumination provided through Him. Their insights are included here.

Origen of AlexandriaON FIRST PRINCIPLES 1:1.1 c. 185–253
What other light of God can we speak of, in which a person sees light, except God’s spiritual power, which when it lightens a person causes him either to see clearly the truth of all things or to know God,
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 36 →
Athanasius of AlexandriaECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 1:7 c. 296–373
The bishops [at the Council of Nicea], having detected the Arians’ deceitfulness in this matter, collected from Scripture those passages that say of Christ that he is the glory, the fountain, the stream and the express image of the person;
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 36 →
Gregory of NazianzusON THE HOLY SPIRIT, THEOLOGICAL ORATION 5(31).3 c. 329–390
And now we have both seen and proclaim concisely and simply the doctrine of God the Trinity, comprehending out of light [the Father], light [the Son], in light [the Spirit].
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 36 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 36:9 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For with thee [is] the fountain of life,.... Or "lives" (f): God himself is the fountain of living waters; this is a reason proving the happiness of those that trust in the Lord, and that they shall

Read John Gill on Psalms 36 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. For with thee is the fountain of life.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 36 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

With thee, i.e. in thy power to give it, and in thy presence to be enjoyed. The fountain; which notes, 1. Causality. It is in God as in a fountain, and from him is derived to us. 2. Abundance. 3. Excellency. Water is sweetest in the fountain; and fountains were rare and highly prized in those hot countries. Of life; of that glorious, and blessed, and endless life, which alone is worthy of the name of life; this life being only a passage to death, and a theatre of great and manifold calamities. Although it be true, that God is the fountain both of natural and spiritual life. In thy light; in the light of thy countenance or glorious presence, which then shall be fully manifested unto us, when…

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 36 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 36:9 For with thee [is] the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.Ver. 9. For with thee is the fountain of life] Vena vitae, verae vitae scaturigo, A fountain communicateth its water, and yet is not exhausted. Fontium perennitas, is one of the wonders in nature: what shall we say of this Divine fountain of life, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, overflowing and ever flowing? In thy light shall we see light] viz. Of knowledge and comfort. What is the air without light? or anything else without God? Absque Deo omnis copia est egestas, saith Bernard. In the former comparison, with thee is the fountain (or vein) of lives, the prophet alludeth either to waters, as is…

Read John Trapp on Psalms 36 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) In thy light.—Better, by thy light. This wonderful verse inspired Milton’s sublime invocation: “The author of all being, Fountain of light, thyself invisible Amidst the glorious brightness where thou sitt’st.” It contains the germ of that moral and spiritual teaching which had its highest development in the Epistles of St. John. But the original intention of the words seems to be that the favour and bounty of God commend themselves as divine in origin, especially to those in the covenant relation.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 36 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 9. For with thee is the fountain of life] This, in Scripture phrase, may signify a spring of water; for such was called among the Jews living water, to distinguish it from ponds, tanks, and reservoirs, that were supplied by water either received from the clouds, or conducted into them by pipes and streams from other quarters. But there seems to be a higher allusion in the sacred text. כי עמך מקור חיים ki immecha mekor chaiyim, "For with thee is the vein of lives." Does not this allude to the great aorta, which, receiving the blood from the heart, distributes it by the arteries to every part of the human body, whence it is conducted back to the heart by means of the veins. As the…

Read AdamClarke on Psalms 36 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

9. The expectation of Psa 36:8 is no idle dream, for God is the source of life and light. From Him springs all that constitutes life (Psalms 34:12), physical and spiritual (cp. Jeremiah 2:13; Jeremiah 17:13): from Him proceeds all that makes up true happiness (cp. Psalms 4:6). Golden sayings like this anticipate the revelation of the Gospel. It is only in the light of the Incarnation that their depth of meaning begins to be understood. Cp. John 1:4; John 1:9.

Read Cambridge on Psalms 36 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For with thee is the fountain of life - The fountain or source from which all life flows.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 36 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

For with you is the spring of life. In your light we will see light.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.

NETBNew English Translation2006

For you are the one who gives and sustains life.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light.

RVARevised Version, American1894

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

For with thee is the well of life, and in thy light shall we see light.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

For with Thee [is] a fountain of life, In Thy light we see light.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

For a fountain of life [is] with You, || In Your light we see light.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(36:10) For with thee is the source of life: in thy light shall we see light.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we will see light.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

For the evildoers shall be cut off: but they that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the land.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You are the source of life; you are the light by which we see.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

For with you is the fountain of life: in your light we will see light.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

כִּֽי(dm)clauseprepositional phrase · predicateעִ֭מְּ[is].withךָyounoun phrase · subjectמְק֣וֹרa.fountainחַיִּ֑יםof.lifeclauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalבְּ֝innoun phraseאוֹרְlightךָ֗yourverbנִרְאֶהwe.seeobjectאֽוֹרlight

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text reads כִּֽי־ עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־ אֽוֹר׃, and the Septuagint aligns closely with it, maintaining five out of seven words. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain fragments that support the Masoretic Text, indicating consistency across these ancient witnesses.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

כִּֽי־ עִ֭מְּךָ מְק֣וֹר חַיִּ֑ים בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗ נִרְאֶה־ אֽוֹר׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
עִ֭מְּךָἀπὸמְק֣וֹרπιότητοςחַיִּ֑יםοἴκουבְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗καὶאֽוֹר׃σου

5 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q83a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[ירוי׳ן] [מדשן] [בית׳ך] ונחל [עדני׳כה] [תשק׳ם]

6 words of the verse are on this fragment — 5 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 36:9כִּיforforכִּיעִם[is] with y[is] with youעִםמָקוֹרa fountain a fountain ofמָקוֹרחַיlifelifeחַיאוֹרin light yoin light yourאוֹררָאָהwe seewe seeרָאָהאוֹרlightlightאוֹראוֹרto lightto lightאוֹרעָמַםto darkento darkenעָמַםקוּרto digto digקוּרחָיָהto liveto liveחָיָהחֹ֫שֶׁךְdarknessdarknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְיָרֵחַmoonmoonיָרֵחַיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַריָבֵשׁto witherto witherיָבֵשׁחַיalivealiveחַיעוֹףbirdbirdעוֹףשָׂדַיfieldfieldשָׂדַיעֳנִיafflictionafflictionעֳנִינָבַטto lookto lookנָבַט
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 36:9

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

for [is] with you a fountain of life in light your we see light
כִּֽי־ki- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTc — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
for [is] with you a fountain of life in light your we see light
עִ֭מְּךָ'I.me.kha [is] with you H5973 Preposition · suffix
1,052× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means with or together, like when God is with his people in Exodus 33:14-15. It's used to describe accompaniment or association, and can also mean against or beside. The word is used to convey a sense of relationship or proximity between people or things.
Tyndale gloss
with
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עִם (im) is a preposition meaning 'with' and covers a range of relationships, including companionship, locality, and possession. It can imply actions done jointly, equality, or even opposition in contexts like combat. The related form מֵעִם (me.im) means 'from with' or 'beside.' The entries reflect various nuances but do not present significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עִם prep. with

of fellowship and companionship

of aid

Of actions done jointly with another

If the common action be of the nature of a contest or combat, with in the sense of against

Of dealing with a person, or of the relation in which one stands with, or towards, another

Of a common lot together with the wicked

Of equality or resemblance generally aid

Of time, as long as

Of a locality, close to, beside

Of persons, עִם is spec.

in the house or family or service of

In possession of

In the custody or care of

Beside = except

With = friendly with

Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

base

מֵעִם 72 from with or beside

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5973a עִם with . of fellowship and companionship

. Of a locality, close to, beside

. Of persons, עִם is spec. . in the house or family or service of

. In possession of

. In the custody or care of

. Beside = except

. With = friendly with

. Idiom. of a thought or purpose present with one

. Metaph. together with = in spite of, notwithstanding

H5973b מֵעִם from with, beside

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5973 `im eem

from 6004; adverb or preposition, with (i.e. in conjunction

with), in varied applications; specifically, equally with;

often with prepositional prefix (and then usually

unrepresented in English):--accompanying, against, and, as (X

long as), before, beside, by (reason of), for all, from

(among, between), in, like, more than, of, (un-)to,

with(-al).

see HEBREW for 06004

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עִם (im) — with.

1) with

1a) with

1b) against

1c) toward

1d) as long as

מֵעִם (me.im) — from with.

1a) beside, except

1b) in spite of

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Sp2ms — Preposition · suffix
HR/Sp2ms
for [is] with you a fountain of life in light your we see light
מְק֣וֹרme.Kor a fountain of H4726 Noun common · masculine singular construct
18× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Maqor means a fountain or a source of water, like a spring or a well. It can also refer to the source of happiness, wisdom, or life. This term is used to describe a source of something valuable or life-giving.
Tyndale gloss
fountain
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מָקוֹר (maqowr) refers to a source or fountain, typically of water, but also extends to figurative meanings such as joy, wisdom, and progeny. It can denote a spring, the flow of blood, or even the source of menstruation. The term is derived from a root meaning 'to dig' and is associated with various contexts in the Old Testament.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מָקוֹר n.m. spring, fountain (app. orig. well)

spring of water

fig. of eye

source of menstruous blood

= flow of blood after child-birth

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4726 מָקוֹר

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4726 maqowr maw-kore'

or maqor {maw-kore'}; from 6979; properly, something dug,

i.e. a (general) source (of water, even when naturally

flowing; also of tears, blood (by euphemism, of the female

pudenda); figuratively, of happiness, wisdom,

progeny):--fountain, issue, spring, well(-spring).

see HEBREW for 06979

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מָקוֹר (ma.qor) — fountain.

1) spring, fountain

1a) spring

1a1) of source of life, joy, purification (fig.)

1b) of the eye (fig.)

1c) source (of menstruous blood)

1d) flow (of blood after child birth)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmsc — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

for [is] with you a fountain of life in light your we see light
חַיִּ֑יםchai.Yim life H2416 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
498× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means life or being alive. It can refer to physical life, like in Genesis 1:20, or spiritual life, like in Psalm 30:5.
Tyndale gloss
alive
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חַי (*chay*) means 'alive' or 'living' and covers a range of meanings related to life, including living beings, vitality, and freshness. It can refer to God, animals, vegetation, and even concepts like appetite and community. Variants include חַיָּה (*chayyah*), meaning 'living thing' or 'animal,' and חַיִּים (*chayim*), which emphasizes life and sustenance.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חַי adj. alive, living

of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

of man

of animals, alive, living

animals and man

(dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

of water, fresh

(dub.) lively, active

reviving

base

[חַי] n.[m.] kinsfolk, pl. sf. 1 S 18:18

ref

חַיָּה n.f. living thing, animal

animal

in general

wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

living beings, of the cherubic chariot

life, only in late poetry

appetite, activity of hunger

revival, renewal

base

חַיָּה n.f. community

base

חַיִּים n.m. pl. abstr. emph. life

life: physical

life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

sustenance, maintenance

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2416a חַי alive, living . . of God, as the living one, the fountain of life

. of man

. of animals, alive, living

. animals and man

. (dub.) of vegetation, as thorns, green

. of water, fresh

. (dub.) lively, active

. reviving

H2416b חַי kinsfolk H2416c חַיָּה living thing, animal . animal . in general

. wild animals, on account of their vital energy and activity

. living beings, of the cherubic chariot

. life, only in late poetry

. appetite, activity of hunger

. revival, renewal

H2416d חַיָּה community H2416e חַיִּים pl. abstr. emph. life . life: physical

. life: as welfare and happiness in king's presence

. sustenance, maintenance

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2416 chay khah'-ee

from 2421; alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water,

year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine

singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether

literally or figuratively:--+ age, alive, appetite, (wild)

beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living

(creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be)

old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.

see HEBREW for 02421

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חַי (chay) — alive.

adj

1) living, alive

1a) green (of vegetation)

1b) flowing, fresh (of water)

1c) lively, active (of man)

1d) reviving (of the springtime)

Aramaic equivalent: chay (חַי "living" H2417)

חַי (chay) — kinsfolk.

kinsfolk

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — living thing.

1) living thing, animal

1a) animal

1b) life

1c) appetite

1d) revival, renewal

Aramaic equivalent: che.va (חֵיוָא "beast" H2423)

חַיָּה (chay.yah) — community.

community

חַיִּים (chay.yim) — life.

1) life (abstract emphatic)

1a) life

1b) sustenance, maintenance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lif (chayyim, nephesh, ruach, chayah; zoe, psuche, bios, pneuma):

I. THE TERMS

II. THE OLD TESTAMENT TEACHING

1. Popular Use of the Term

2. Complexity of the Idea

III. IN THE APOCRYPHA

IV. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

1. In the Synoptic Gospels

2. In the Fourth Gospel

3. In the Ac of the Apostles

4. In the Writings of Paul

5. In the Writings of John

6. In the Other Books of the New Testament

LITERATURE

I. The Terms.

Of the Hebrew terms, chayah is the verb which means "to live," "to have life," or the vital principle, "to continue to live," or "to live prosperously." In the Piel it signifies "to give life, or preserve, or quicken and restore life." The Hiphil is much like the Piel. The noun hayyim generally used in the plural is an abstract noun meaning "life," i.e. the possession of the vital principle with its energies and activities. Nephesh often means "living being" or "creature." Sometimes it has the…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Life

Generally of physical life (Gen. 2:7; Luke 16:25, etc.); also used figuratively (1) for immortality (Heb. 7:16); (2) conduct or manner of life (Rom. 6:4); (3) spiritual life or salvation (John 3:16, 17, 18, 36); (4) eternal life (Matt. 19:16, 17; John 3:15); of God and Christ as the absolute source and cause of all life (John 1:4; 5:26, 39; 11:25; 12:50).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the Bible, is either natural, Ge 3:17; spiritual, that of the renewed soul, Ro 8:6; or eternal, a holy and blissful immortality, Joh 3:36 Ro 6:23. Christ is the great Author of natural life, Col 1:16; and also of spiritual and eternal life; Joh 14:6 6:47. He has purchased these by laying down his own life; and gives them freely to his people, Joh 10:11,28. He is the spring of all their spiritual life on earth, Ga 2:20; will raise them up at the last day; and…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ MISCELLANY OF MINOR SUB-TOPICS

Breath of Ge 2:7

Called SPIRIT OF GOD Job 27:3

Tree of Ge 2:9; 3:22,24; Pr 3:18; 13:12; Re 2:7

→ (SACREDNESS OF, an inference from what is taught in the law concerning murder)

See HOMICIDE

Long life promised to obedient children Ex 20:12; De 5:16

To those who keep the commandments De 4:40; 22:7

Vanity of Ec 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7

Hated Ec 2:17

for [is] with you a fountain of life in light your we see light
בְּ֝אוֹרְךָ֗be.'or.kha in light your H216 Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
121× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Light, including natural light from the sun or stars, and also spiritual light from God. It can refer to happiness, prosperity, or understanding. In the Bible, God is often described as the source of light and life.
Tyndale gloss
light
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹר (or) means 'light' and encompasses various forms of illumination, including daylight, dawn, and the light of heavenly bodies like the sun and stars. It can also refer to metaphorical concepts such as the light of life, prosperity, and instruction, as well as Yahweh as a source of light.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹר 121 n.m. light

light as diffused in nature, light of day

morning light, dawn

light of the heavenly luminaries

daylight

lightning

light of lamp

light of life

light of prosperity

light of instruction

light of face

Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H216 אוֹר light . light as diffused in nature, light of day

. morning light, dawn

. light of the heavenly luminaries

. daylight

. lightning

. light of lamp

. light of life

. light of prosperity

. light of instruction

. light of face

. Yahweh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

216 'owr ore

from 215; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every

sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.):--bright, clear,

+ day, light (-ning), morning, sun.

see HEBREW for 0215

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹר (or) — light.

1) light

1a) light of day

1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars)

1c) day-break, dawn, morning light

1d) daylight

1e) lightning

1f) light of lamp

1g) light of life

1h) light of prosperity

1i) light of instruction

1j) light of face (fig.)

1k) Jehovah as Israel's light

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms — Preposition · noun common feminine singular construct · suffix
HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms
for [is] with you a fountain of life in light your we see light
נִרְאֶה־nir.'eh- we see H7200 Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common plural
1,300× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The Hebrew word for provider means to see or look after, and is used to describe God's care for his people. It appears in various forms throughout the Bible, including in Genesis and other books.
Tyndale gloss
Provider
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָאָה (ra'ah) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to see' and encompasses a wide range of visual and perceptual actions, including looking, observing, and causing others to see. It can refer to both literal sight and figurative understanding, with various grammatical forms indicating different nuances, such as appearing or being visible. The entries indicate a rich semantic field without significant disagreement among lexicographers.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָאָה 1315 vb. see

Qal 1141

see, subj.

see, c. acc. rei

see, sq. acc. cl. or phr. of closer design

see, so as to learn to know

abs. see, have (power of) vision

see = perceive

look at, see, by direct volition

of mental observation

c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

see, c. acc. rei

Niph.

appear

be seen

be visible

Pu. appar. his bones are not detected

Hithp. recipr. look at each other

Hiph.

cause one to see something, shew

cause to experience something

cause to look intently at, to behold

Hoph.

be caused to see, be shewn

be exhibited to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7200a רָאָה see .. . see, subj.

. see, c. acc. rei

. see, sq. acc. + cl. or phr. of closer design

. see, so as to learn to know

. abs. see, have (power of) vision

. see = perceive

. look at, see, by direct volition

. of mental observation

. . c. ב, lit., look into, hence look at with interest

. see, c. acc. rei

. . appear

. be seen

. be visible

. appar. his bones are not detected

. recipr. look at each other

. . . cause one to see something, shew

. cause to experience something

. cause to look intently at, to behold

. . be caused to see, be shewn

. be exhibited to

H7200b רְאוּת look

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7200 ra'ah raw-aw'

a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in

numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive,

intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve,

behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have

experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look

(on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up,

upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide,

regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one

another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X

surely, X think, view, visions.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: see.

: see/show

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out

1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish

1a6) to look at, gaze at

1a7) to provide, choose

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to appear, present oneself

1b2) to be seen

1b3) to be visible

1c) (Pual) to be seen

1d) (Hiphil)

1d1) to cause to see, show

1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at

1e) (Hophal)

1e1) to be caused to see, be shown

1e2) to be exhibited to

1f) (Hithpael) to look at each other, face

רָאָה (ra.ah) — to see: examine.

: examine/consider

1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to see

1a2) to see, perceive

1a3) to see, have vision

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqi1cp — Verb · Qal · imperfect first person common plural
HVqi1cp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

se: In addition to the ordinary sense of perceiving by the eye, we have

(1) chazah, "to see" (in vision): "Words of Amos .... which he saw concerning Israel" (Am 1:1). The revelation was made to his inward eye. "The word of Yahweh .... which he (Micah) saw concerning Samaria" (Mic 1:1), describing what he saw in prophetic vision (compare Hab 1:1); see REVELATION, III, 4;

(2) horao, "to take heed": "See thou say nothing" (Mr 1:44);

(3) eidon, "to know," "to note with the mind": "Jesus saw that he answered discreetly" (Mr 12:34);

for [is] with you a fountain of life in light your we see light
אֽוֹר׃'or light H216 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
121× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Light, including natural light from the sun or stars, and also spiritual light from God. It can refer to happiness, prosperity, or understanding. In the Bible, God is often described as the source of light and life.
Tyndale gloss
light
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אוֹר (or) means 'light' and encompasses various forms of illumination, including daylight, dawn, and the light of heavenly bodies like the sun and stars. It can also refer to metaphorical concepts such as the light of life, prosperity, and instruction, as well as Yahweh as a source of light.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אוֹר 121 n.m. light

light as diffused in nature, light of day

morning light, dawn

light of the heavenly luminaries

daylight

lightning

light of lamp

light of life

light of prosperity

light of instruction

light of face

Yahweh

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H216 אוֹר light . light as diffused in nature, light of day

. morning light, dawn

. light of the heavenly luminaries

. daylight

. lightning

. light of lamp

. light of life

. light of prosperity

. light of instruction

. light of face

. Yahweh

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

216 'owr ore

from 215; illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every

sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.):--bright, clear,

+ day, light (-ning), morning, sun.

see HEBREW for 0215

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אוֹר (or) — light.

1) light

1a) light of day

1b) light of heavenly luminaries (moon, sun, stars)

1c) day-break, dawn, morning light

1d) daylight

1e) lightning

1f) light of lamp

1g) light of life

1h) light of prosperity

1i) light of instruction

1j) light of face (fig.)

1k) Jehovah as Israel's light

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

lit ('or, ma'or; phos; many other words):

1. Origin of Light

2. A Comprehensive Term

(1) Natural Light

(2) Artificial Light

(3) Miraculous Light

(4) Mental, Moral, Spiritual Light

3. An Attribute of Holiness

(1) God

(2) Christ

(3) Christians

(4) The Church

4. Symbolism

5. Expressive Terms

1. Origin of Light:

The creation of light was the initial step in the creation of life. "Let there be light" (Ge 1:3) was the first word of God spoken after His creative Spirit "moved" upon the primary material out of which He created the heavens and the earth, and which lay, until the utterance of that word, in the chaos of darkness and desolation. Something akin, possibly, to the all-pervasive electro-magnetic activity of the aurora borealis penetrated the chaotic night of the world. The ultimate focusing of light (on the 4th day of creation,

Light

The offspring of the divine command (Gen. 1:3). “All the more joyous emotions of the mind, all the pleasing sensations of the frame, all the happy hours of domestic intercourse were habitually described among the Hebrews under imagery derived from light” (1 Kings 11:36; Isa. 58:8; Esther 8:16; Ps. 97:11). Light came also naturally to typify true religion and the felicity it imparts (Ps. 119:105; Isa. 8:20; Matt. 4:16, etc.), and the glorious inheritance…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

One of the most wonderful, cheering, and useful of all the works of God; called into being on the first of the six days of creation, by his voice: "Let there be light;" and there was light. No object better illustrates whatever is pure, glorious, spiritual, joyful, and beneficent. Hence the beauty and force of the expressions, "God is light," 1Jo 1:5, and "the Father of lights," Jas 1:17; Christ is the "Sun of righteousness," and "the light of the world," Joh 1:9 8:12. So also the word of God is "a light," Ps 119:105; truth and Christians are lights, Joh 3:19 12:36; prosperity is "light," Es 8:16; and heaven is full of…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Created Ge 1:3-5; Isa 45:7; 2Co 4:6

→ Miraculous Mt 17:2; Ac 9:3

→ FIGURATIVE AND SYMBOLICAL 1Ki 11:36; Ps 27:1; 119:105,130; Pr 6:23; Ec 2:13; Isa 8:20; 49:6; 58:8; 60:19,20; Mt 4:16; 5:14,16; Lu 2:32; 11:34; 16:8;

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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