Foundation Text

Jeremiah 2:13

Hebrew Key Terms

• H4726 מָקוֹר maqor - fountain, spring, source
• H4325 מַיִם mayim - water
• H2416 חַיִּים chayyim - living, alive (plural construct: "living waters")
• H877 בֹּאר boʼr - cistern, pit (appears twice: "cisterns—broken cisterns")

Context: Jeremiah 2:13 is the hinge verse in Yahweh's covenant lawsuit against Judah. God indicts His people for double evil: (1) forsaking Him, "the fountain of living water," and (2) digging their own cisterns, which are broken and cannot hold water. The phrase mayim chayyim ("living water") is itself common across the canon, much of it ritual (Lev 14:5; Num 19:17); what is distinctive here is the full construct מְקוֹר מַיִם חַיִּים (meqor mayim chayyim, "fountain of living water"), which occurs only at Jeremiah 2:13 and 17:13 and makes Yahweh Himself the source. This is the vocabulary John's Gospel draws on — by allusion rather than formal citation — when Jesus offers "living water" (John 4:10) and promises "streams of living water" (John 7:38).

OT-to-OT Development

• Jeremiah 17:13 - Jeremiah repeats the phrase: "O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who abandon You will be put to shame... for they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of living water"
• Zechariah 13:1 - "On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David... to cleanse them from sin and impurity" - develops the fountain imagery toward eschatological cleansing
• Zechariah 14:8 - "On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem" - uses Jeremiah's exact phrase מַיִם חַיִּים mayim chayyim but shifts from fountain to flowing river

Connections

• TO:
  • Psalm 36:9 - "fountain of life"); worship of other gods (Jer 2:5-8
• FROM OT:
  • Jeremiah 17:13
  • Zechariah 13:1 - fountain opened
  • Zechariah 14:8 - living waters flow from Jerusalem
• FROM NT:
  • John 4:10-14 - Jesus offers living water
  • John 7:37-39 - "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink" — living water = Spirit
  • Revelation 21:6 - ; 22:17 (invitation to drink from spring of life

Christological Connection: Jeremiah identifies Yahweh as the fountain of living waters. John's Gospel reveals that Jesus claims this divine identity for Himself (John 4:10; 7:37). The progression:

• OT: Yahweh = fountain of living waters (Jer 2:13; 17:13)
• Gospels: Jesus = source of living water (John 4:10, 14; 7:37-38)
• Interpretive key: "He was speaking about the Spirit" (John 7:39)

The escalation: Physical fountain → Yahweh (spiritual fountain) → Christ (incarnate fountain) → Holy Spirit (living water Christ gives). Jeremiah's accusation ("They have forsaken Me") becomes Jesus' invitation ("Come to Me and drink"). The broken cisterns (idols) are replaced by the infinite fountain (Christ and the Spirit He gives).

Connection Method(s): Contrast, Longitudinal Theme — Yahweh's self-identification as "the fountain of living water" contrasts with Israel's broken cisterns, with Christ claiming this divine identity for Himself (John 4:10; 7:37), transforming Jeremiah's accusation into Jesus' invitation.

Trajectory Table: 098 - Living Water (Spirit and Life)