BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Mayim (מַיִם) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
Mayim (מַיִם) is the dual-form Hebrew noun meaning 'water,' used for literal waters, seas, and figuratively for fluids of the body.
Meaning of the word
Mayim (מַיִם), pronounced approximately 'mah-yim,' is the standard Hebrew word for 'water.' Although the singular form מַי (may) exists, the word almost always appears in this dual form, which grammatically treats water as a collective — a substance that flows, gathers, and covers rather than something easily counted as individual units.
Beyond its basic literal sense, the lexicon entry notes that mayim can be used figuratively for juice (such as the juice of grapes or olives) and, by euphemism, for bodily fluids such as urine or semen. These extended uses are rare compared to the dominant physical meaning but show the word's flexibility across everyday and ritual contexts in ancient Israel.
Usage in Scripture
Mayim dominates the opening chapter of Genesis. The Spirit of God hovers over the face of the waters (Gen 1:2), and the first three days of creation are organized around separating and gathering the waters — waters above from waters below (1:6–7), and waters under the heavens from the dry land (1:9–10). The waters then become the habitat God fills with living creatures and birds (1:20–22). Water here is not merely scenery; it is the formless primordial element that God orders into a habitable world.
Outside creation, mayim appears in formative moments of Israel's history. At the Red Sea, 'the waters were divided' by Moses' outstretched hand and a strong east wind (Exod 14:21), turning the sea into dry ground. Throughout the Old Testament the word also covers rain, springs, rivers, the sea, and ritual washing, giving mayim a central place in both the geography and the worship of Israel.
The word in detail
- H4325 Mayim (מַיִם) is the dual form of the noun מַי, meaning 'water.' The dual form reflects water's collective nature. In addition to literal water (oceans, rain, rivers), the word is used figuratively for juice and euphemistically for urine or semen.
Example verses
- Genesis 1:2 Mayim here describes the primeval waters covering the deep before creation begins, framing water as the formless element God's Spirit orders.
- Genesis 1:6 God commands a firmament to divide the waters from the waters — upper and lower — establishing the cosmos by separating the mayim.
- Genesis 1:9 The waters under the heavens are gathered into one place so that dry land appears; mayim here names both the gathered seas and the waters being displaced.
- Exodus 14:21 At the Red Sea, Moses' hand and an east wind divide the mayim, turning the sea into dry ground and marking water as an instrument of deliverance.
Common questions
Why is mayim written in a dual form?
The dual ending reflects water's collective character. Although a singular מַי exists, ordinary usage treats mayim as a plural/dual mass noun, like 'waters' in English poetic style.
Does mayim ever mean something other than literal water?
Yes. The lexicon notes figurative uses for juice (such as grape or olive juice) and euphemistic uses for bodily fluids like urine or semen, though literal water dominates the biblical text.
How significant is mayim in Genesis 1?
It is foundational. The Spirit hovers over the mayim (1:2), and the first three days of creation center on separating and gathering the waters (1:6–10), making water the raw material God shapes into a habitable world.