Isaiah 12:3 — Word Study
WLCוּשְׁאַבְתֶּם־ מַ֖יִם בְּשָׂשׂ֑וֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵ֖י הַיְשׁוּעָֽה׃
BSAWith joysâsôwn [great happiness, rejoicing] you will drawshâʼab [take, receive] watermayim from the springsmaʻyân [wells, fountains] of salvationyᵉshûwʻâh [deliverance, victory, prosperity]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם־ | and you will draw | Verb, Qal, sequential perfect second person masculine plural |
| מַ֖יִם | water | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| בְּשָׂשׂ֑וֹן | with joy | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| מִמַּעַיְנֵ֖י | from [the] springs of | Preposition, noun common masculine plural construct |
| הַיְשׁוּעָֽה׃ | salvation | Particle, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation, |
| KJV | Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. |
| ASV | Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. |
| YLT | And ye have drawn waters with joy Out of the fountains of salvation, |
| WEB | Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation. |
| BBE | So with joy will you get water out of the springs of salvation. |
Where they part company is in the rendering of בְּשָׂשׂ֑וֹן — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is straightforward, with a single prepositional phrase indicating the source of the water, emphasizing the joy in the act of drawing.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbשָׁאַב
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Isaiah 12:3
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Song of Salvationgenerated
Isaiah 12:3 expresses a profound joy that accompanies the act of drawing water from the springs of salvation. This joy reflects the deliverance and hope that God provides to His people. The surrounding verses emphasize trust in God as the source of strength and salvation, culminating in a call to praise and proclaim His works among the nations.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isaiah 49:10 | They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. |
| 2 | Isaiah 55:1–3 | “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost! |
| 3 | Psalm 36:9 | For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. |
| 4 | Song of Solomon 2:3 | |
| 5 | Jeremiah 2:13 | “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 10 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — שָׁאַב, u.she.'av.tem-generated
The verb שָׁאַב (sha'ab) means to draw water, a common task depicted in the Bible, often associated with women gathering at wells. This act is not just physical; it symbolizes receiving sustenance and refreshment from God.
As a sequential perfect verb in the second person masculine plural, it indicates a completed action that the audience will perform, emphasizing the communal aspect of drawing from the springs of salvation.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb שְׁאַבְתֶּם (you will draw) governs the sentence, with a prepositional phrase indicating the source of the water and a noun phrase specifying the object drawn. The structure emphasizes the act of drawing water as central to the verse's meaning.
The Hebrew word order places the verb first, highlighting the action of drawing water, followed by the joyful context and the source of salvation, which adds depth to the imagery.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates שָׁאַב as ἀντλήσετε (antlēsēte), meaning 'you will draw'. This choice maintains the focus on the act of drawing but may imply a more active engagement with the source of salvation.
The Greek word for 'water', ὕδωρ (hudōr), aligns closely with the Hebrew, preserving the literal sense while also allowing for metaphorical interpretations in the context of salvation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Isaiah 12:3 tells us that with great joy, the people will draw water from the springs of salvation. This verse emphasizes the happiness that comes from receiving God's deliverance and the importance of celebrating that gift.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Drawing water symbolizes receiving God's blessings and deliverance, which brings joy and sustenance to His people.
Joy is a natural response to experiencing God's salvation and deliverance, reflecting the happiness of being in a right relationship with Him.
This verse echoes themes found in other passages, such as Isaiah 49:10 and Jeremiah 2:13, which also speak of God as the source of refreshment and salvation.
The term 'springs' indicates a source of life and refreshment, suggesting that God's salvation is abundant and continually available.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced joy in my own life as a result of God's salvation?
- How can I share the joy of salvation with others in my community?
- What does it mean to me to draw from the springs of salvation in my daily life?
- How can I cultivate a deeper sense of joy in my relationship with God?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early Church Fathers often referenced this verse to illustrate themes of joy and salvation in their teachings. Quotations from Ambrose of Milan are included here, reflecting on the significance of joy in the context of salvation.
Better is the foolishness that has eyes to see its own wounds than wisdom that does not have them. And therefore, with the gaze of his own foolishness, such a great king admits to being afflicted by miseries;Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 12 →
But perhaps you will say: How can Christ be rich in poverty? Although my intelligence may fail me, divine assistance does not fail in the reading of the Scriptures, for the Apostle says: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 12 →
Between this rich man and the poor man there is a great chasm; because after death, merits cannot be changed, and therefore the rich man is led into hell, desiring to draw something of the poor man's refreshing spirit;Early Church Fathers on Isaiah 12 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Isaiah 12:3 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleTherefore with joy shall ye draw water,.... These words are either an exhortation to others, as the Septuagint and Arabic versions render it, "draw ye"; and so likewise an encouragement to them by
Read John Gill on Isaiah 12 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryTherefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation - an expressive image in a hot country.
Read Robert Jamieson on Isaiah 12 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleYour thirsty and fainting souls shall be filled with Divine graces and comforts, which you may plentifully draw from God in the use of gospel ordinances, which was oft signified by water, both in the Old and in the New Testament. He seems to allude to the state of Israel in the wilderness, where when they had been tormented with thirst, they were greatly refreshed and delighted with those waters which God so graciously and wonderfully afforded them in that dry and barren land, 21:16-18.
Read Matthew Poole on Isaiah 12 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsIsaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.Ver. 3. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water.] Joy is the just man’ s portion, and Christ is the never failing fountain whence by a lively faith he may infallibly fetch it. Christ was much delighted with this metaphor; see John 1:16. Out of this fountain only may men quench their spiritual thirst after righteousness. Haec sola est aqua quae animas arentes, marentes et squalidas reficit, et recreat. These wells of salvation are those "words of eternal life," the rich and "precious promises," "whereby we are made partakers of the divine nature," and of the Holy Spirit, which is frequently and fitly compared to…
Read John Trapp on Isaiah 12 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(3) Therefore with joy shall ye draw water . . .—Literally, And with joy. The words may be either part of the hymn, or addressed to those who are to join in it. The latter seems most in harmony with the context. In the later ritual of the Feast of Tabernacles, the priests went in solemn procession to the Pool of Siloam, filled a golden vase with water, carried it to the Temple, and poured it out on the western side of the altar of burnt offering, while the people chanted the great Hallel (Hymn of Praise) of Psalms 113-118 (See Note on John 7:37.) If we may assume that this represented the ritual of the monarchy, we may reasonably infer that the words of Isaiah pointed to it. The Talmud…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Isaiah 12 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges3. A promise connecting the first song with the second (Isaiah 12:4-6). wells of salvation] (cf. Psalms 87:7). The language is figurative, denoting the inexhaustible fulness of the Divine blessings prepared for the people of God.
Read Cambridge on Isaiah 12 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleTherefore - In view of all his mercies, the Hebrew is, however; simply, ‘” and” ye shall draw.’ It has already been intimated that the Jews applied this passage to the Holy Spirit: and that probably
Read Albert Barnes on Isaiah 12 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible3. Draw water — What gift so welcome, so precious, after experience in the Desert of Sinai? Wells of salvation — The inexhaustible riches of the Holy Spirit — so the figure clearly means; so the ancient Jews applied it.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Isaiah 12 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,
Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.
With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,
Joyfully you will draw water from the springs of deliverance.
Tyndale line
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Therefore with ioy shall ye drawe waters out of the welles of saluation.
Strictly literal
And with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
And ye have drawn waters with joy Out of the fountains of salvation,
And you have drawn waters with joy || Out of the fountains of salvation,
And ye shall draw water with gladness out of the springs of salvation.
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
From the Latin
You shall draw waters with joy out of the saviour’s fountains:
Simplified
With great happiness you will take water from the well of salvation.
So with joy will you get water out of the springs of salvation.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text of Isaiah 12:3 reads, "וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם־ מַ֖יִם בְּשָׂשׂ֑וֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵ֖י הַיְשׁוּעָֽה׃" which translates to, "With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation." The Septuagint aligns closely with the Masoretic Text, as all five words correspond, although the order and articles differ due to the nature of Greek syntax. The Dead Sea Scrolls also support the Masoretic Text; specifically, 1Qisaa presents the verse with minor orthographic variations, while 4Q59 has five words, but two are supplied by an editor. Fragment 1Q8 contains three words from the verse, with two supplied. Overall, the primary witnesses largely agree with the Masoretic Text, affirming its reading with slight variations in wording and preservation.
וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם־ מַ֖יִם בְּשָׂשׂ֑וֹן מִמַּעַיְנֵ֖י הַיְשׁוּעָֽה׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ושאבתמה מים בששון ממעיני הישועה
5 words on the leather.
[ושאבתם] [מים] [בששון] [ממעיני] [הישועה]
nothing on the leather here — 5 supplied entire by an editor.
[בששון] [ממעיני] שועה
3 words of the verse are on this fragment — 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Isaiah 12:3
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
שָׁאַב (sha'ab) is a Hebrew verb meaning to draw water. It is described as a primitive root and specifically refers to the act of drawing water, often associated with women who perform this task. The entries consistently focus on this singular meaning without significant variation.
[שָׁאַב] vb. draw (water)
base
H7579 שָׁאַב draw (water)
7579 sha'ab sahw-ab'
a primitive root; to bale up water:--(woman to) draw(-er,
water).
שָׁאַב (sha.av) — to draw.
1) to draw (water)
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to draw (water)
1a2) water-drawing women (participle)
Conj | V-Qal-2mp — Verb · Qal · sequential perfect second person masculine pluralHc/Vqq2mp
מַי (mayim) is a Hebrew word meaning 'water' and is used in the plural form. It encompasses various meanings, including literal water, urine, and metaphorical uses related to refreshment or danger. The entries indicate it is derived from a primitive noun and is primarily referenced in contexts involving water.
[מַי] 580 n.m. only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
base
H4325 מַי only pl. מַ֫יִם waters, water
4325 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)).
מַי (ma.yim) — water.
1) water, waters
1a) water
1b) water of the feet, urine
1c) of danger, violence, transitory things, refreshment (fig.)
מַי (ma.yim) — Water (Gate).
This name means water, refreshment
N-mp — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteHNcmpa
wo'-ter (mayim; hudor):
(1) The Greek philosophers believed water to be the original substance and that all things were made from it. The Koran states, "From water we have made all things." In the story of the creation (Ge 1:2) water plays an elemental part.
(2) Because of the scarcity of water in Palestine it is especially appreciated by the people there. They love to go and sit by a stream of running water. Men long for a taste of the water of their native village (1Ch 11:17). A town or village is known throughout the country for the quality of its water, which is described by many adjectives, such as "light," "heavy," etc.
(3) The rainfall is the only source of supply of water for Palestine. The moisture is carried up from the sea in clouds and falls on the hills as rain or snow.…
See CISTERN and WELLS.
In Isa 35:7, the Hebrew word for "parched ground" that shall become a pool of water, is the same with the Arabic term for the mirage, a peculiar optical illusion by which travelers in hot and dry deserts think they see broad lakes and flowing waters; they seem to discern the very ripple of the waves, and the swaying of tail trees on the margin in the cool breeze; green hills and houses and city ramparts rise before the astonished sight, recede as the traveler advances, and at length melt away in the hot haze. Not so the blessings of the gospel; they are no alluring mockery, but real waters of everlasting life, Isa 55:1 Joh 4:14 Re 22:1. Compare
→ Creation of Ps 148:4,5
→ Covered the whole earth Ge 1:9
→ Daily allowance of Eze 4:11
→ City waterworks 2Ki 20:20
→ Vision of, by Ezekiel Eze 47:1-5
→ Of separation Nu 19:2-22
שָׂשׂוֹן (sasown) refers to exultation and rejoicing, encompassing meanings like gladness and cheerfulness. It is derived from a root that emphasizes joy and mirth. The term appears in contexts related to joy and celebration, but no specific verses are cited in the entries.
שָׂשׂוֹן n.m. exultation, rejoicing
base
H8342 שָׂשׂוֹן exultation, rejoicing
8342 sasown saw-sone'
or sason {saw-sone'}; from 7797; cheerfulness; specifically,
welcome:--gladness, joy, mirth, rejoicing.
see HEBREW for 07797
שָׂשׂוֹן (sa.s.von) — rejoicing.
1) gladness, joy, exultation, rejoicing
1a) exultation, joy
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
joi (simchah; chara):
1. Terms:
The idea of joy is expressed in the Old Testament by a wealth of synonymous terms that cannot easily be differentiated. The commonest is simchah (1Sa 18:6, etc.), variously translated in English Versions of the Bible "joy," "gladness," "mirth"; from sameah, properly "to be bright," "to shine" (Pr 13:9, "The light of the righteous rejoiceth," literally, "is bright"), but generally used figuratively "to rejoice," "be glad" (Le 23:40 and very frequent).
Other nouns are masos and sason, both from sus, properly "to spring," "leap," hence, "exult," "rejoice"; rinnah, "shouting." "joy"; gil, from verb gil or gul, "to go in a circle," hence, "be excited" (dancing round for joy), "rejoice." In the New…
מַעְיָן (ma`yan) means 'spring' and refers to a source of water, such as a fountain or well. It can also be used figuratively to denote a source of satisfaction. The word is derived from a root meaning to spring forth, and it appears in contexts like Psalm 114:8.
מַעְיָן n.m. spring
base
H4599 מַעְיָן spring
4599 ma`yan mah-yawn'
or ma ynow (Psa. 114:8) {mah-yen-o'}; or (feminine) ma yanah
{mah-yaw-naw'}; from 5869 (as a denominative in the sense of a
spring); a fountain (also collectively), figuratively, a
source (of satisfaction):--fountain, spring, well.
see HEBREW for 05869
מַעְיָן (ma.yan) — spring.
spring
Prep | N-mp — Preposition · noun common masculine plural constructHR/Ncmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
יְשׁוּעָה (yeshu'ah) refers to concepts of salvation, deliverance, and welfare, often with a spiritual dimension. It is derived from a root meaning to save and encompasses ideas of victory and prosperity. The term is used in contexts related to divine aid and protection, emphasizing both physical and spiritual deliverance.
יְשׁוּעָה n.f. salvation
welfare, prosperity
deliverance
salvation by God, primarily from external evils, but often with added spiritual idea
victory
base
H3444 יְשׁוּעָה salvation . welfare, prosperity
. deliverance
. salvation by God, primarily from external evils, but often with added spiritual idea
. victory
3444 yshuw`ah yesh-oo'-aw
feminine passive participle of 3467; something saved, i.e.
(abstractly) deliverance; hence, aid, victory,
prosperity:--deliverance, health, help(-ing), salvation, save,
saving (health), welfare.
see HEBREW for 03467
יְשׁוּעָה (ye.shu.ah) — salvation.
1) salvation, deliverance
1a) welfare, prosperity
1b) deliverance
1c) salvation (by God)
1d) victory
Art | N-fs — Particle · noun common feminine singular absoluteHTd/Ncfsa
sal-va'-shun:
I. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. General
2. Individualism
3. Faith
4. Moral Law
5. Sacrifices
6. Ritual Law
II. INTERMEDIATE LITERATURE
1. General
2. The Law
III. THE TEACHING OF CHRIST
1. The Baptist
2. Kingdom of God
3. Present and Future
4. Individualism
5. Moral Progress
6. Forgiveness
7. Person of Christ
8. Notes
IV. PAUL
1. General
2. Moral Progress
3. The Spirit
4. Mystical Union
5. Forgiveness
6. Atonement
7. Summary
8. Notes
V. THE REST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT: SUMMARY
1. John
2. Hebrews
3. Peter
4. Summary
LITERATURE
In English Versions of the Bible the words "salvation" "save," are not technical theological terms, but denote simply "deliverance," in almost any sense the latter word can have. In systematic theology, however, "salvation" denotes the whole process by which man is delivered from all that would prevent his attaining to the highest good that God has prepared for him. Or, by a transferred sense…
Salvation
This word is used of the deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians (Ex. 14:13), and of deliverance generally from evil or danger. In the New Testament it is specially used with reference to the great deliverance from the guilt and the pollution of sin wrought out by Jesus Christ, “the great salvation” (Heb. 2:3). (See REDEMPTION; REGENERATION.)
Means, strictly, deliverance; and so it is used of temporal deliverance, victory, in Ge 14:13 1Sa 14:45. But as the spiritual deliverance from sin and death, through the Redeemer, Mt 1:21, is a far greater salvation, so this word has come to be used mostly only in this moral and spiritual sense; and implies not only this deliverance, but also the consequences of it, namely, eternal life and happiness in the kingdom of out Lord, 2Co 7:10 Eph 1:13. It is most justly described as a "great salvation," Heb 2:3.