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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")
  • H953 בּוֹר bor - 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 waters," and (2) digging their own cisterns, which are broken and cannot hold water. This is the first occurrence of the phrase "living waters" (מְקוֹר מַיִם חַיִּים meqor mayim chayyim) in Scripture, establishing the verbal link that John 7:38 will later quote.

OT-to-OT Development:

  • Jeremiah 17:13 - Jeremiah repeats the phrase: "O LORD... all who forsake You will be put to shame... for they have forsaken 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:

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 ("you 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 waters" 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)

Linked Mentions 1
Trajectory Tables 1