fountain

A spring or source of flowing water. The NRSV uses “spring” and “fountain” to translate a number of Hebrew and Greek terms without discriminating between natural outflows of water and artificial wells or water-storage systems (i.e., cisterns and reservoirs). In the Bible, springs represent divinely bestowed security and bounty (Ps 104:10-13; Isa 41:17-18; Ezek 34:13), especially when water symbolizes eschatological blessings (Ezek 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Zech 14:8; Rev 21:6; Rev 22:1-2). The Lord is described as the “fountain of living waters” (Jer 2:13), a symbol that Jesus later applied to himself (John 4:10-15). A fountain may also symbolize the source of something besides water, e.g., descendants (Deut 33:28), wisdom (Prov 18:4), and forgiveness (Zech 13:1). God was praised as the “fountain of life” (Ps 36:9).