Mayim Chayim

(Photo by Randy Heaton, Sea of Galilee, October 2019)

"And Isaac's servants dug in the valley, and found there a well of springing water." Genesis 26:19

Springing waters. Living waters. Abraham dug wells and consecrated them to God, naming them as a testament to the greatness of his God. The named wells served as a witness to all those living in the area. The Philistines stopped up Abraham’s wells after his death to erase his teaching. Isaac and his servants dug them back, gave them the names again, thereby symbolically reclaiming the truth of God’s greatness.

The act of (re)naming the wells was a Hebraic way of acknowledging that the wells belonged to God and Isaac trusted God to give the land where the wells sat to Isaac’s descendants. Isaac demonstrated faith that God keeps His promises. After this is when Isaac’s servants came upon the well of “Living water.” 

From this point on, the only time the expression “springing waters” or “living waters” occurs in the scriptures is as a reference to God Himself. 

• Jeremiah 2:13
• Jeremiah 17:13
• Zechariah 124:8
• John 4:7
• John 7:38
• Revelation 22:1
• Revelation 22:17

“Waters” H4325

מַיִם

mayim

mah'-yim

Dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively juice; by euphemism urine, semen: -  + piss, wasting, water (-ing, [-course, -flood, -spring]).

“Springing” or “Living” H2416

חַים

Chay-yim

khah'eem

From H2421; 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.

What wells in your life are stopped up? What needs digging out or re-named for God’s glory?  What act can you do today that demonstrates your trust in God’s promises? Ask Him for a taste of His living water. 

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” Revelation 22:17