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Copyright: The Creation Research Society 1996. All rights reserved. Except as provided under U. S. copyright law, this work may not be reproduced, resold, distributed or modified without the express permission of The Creation Research Society. The archival version of this work was published in CRSQ Volume 33, June 1996, pp. 18-22. Edited for HTML by Allen Roy, September, 28, 1997

Abstract: A word study of ma'yan (fountain, KJV) found in Genesis 7 and 8 shows that the word would there be better translated as reservoir. It makes more sense that a container would be broken up than a jet of water. The reservoir that contains the deep (global oceans) is the oceanic depressions on the crust of the earth. Massive tectonic movement of the crust would cause a multiple mega-tsunami catastrophe.

To the Uniformitarian mind, which conceives millions and billions of inches of precipitation moving millions and billions of cubic miles of soil over millions and billions of years, the concept of any kind of rainstorm of only 40 days, 150 days or even a year's duration is inconsequential at the very, very best. That such a flood could be the cause for all global sedimentation, for the orogeny of the mountain complexes across the entire world, and for vast continental tectonic movement is preposterous.

Many Creationary theorists agree that even the collapsing of the "water above the firmament" would not cause the catastrophic destruction seen in the geologic record. Therefore, they recourse to the other factor mentioned by the Bible--the "fountains of the great deep". Oard (1990, pp. 28, 29) says:

Again, the Uniformitarian wonders where all this water was stored. Was it ground water similar to what is now in the rocks and soils? If it was, then the same problem exists because the quantity of ground water is woefully unable to flood the whole earth.

On the whole, Creationary theorists have skimmed over this problem. Oard (1990, p. 29) , while referring to Whitcome and Morris (1961, p.9) , simply states, "Where could this water have come from but below the ground or oceans?" Brown (1986) proposes that water, stored in vast chambers called a hydroplate many miles below the surface, burst through as violent fountain-jets and covered the earth in a flood. Oard (1990, p 29) described the concept this way:

• "Any water erupting from this source (the deep) [below ground] would move out, under pressure from the crust, and hence would shoot up into the air. The ejected water would produce fountains. In order to release the necessary amount of water, many holes and cracks in the earth would have opened. A world wide eruption of the fountains of the great deep would be expected to be accompanied by extensive tectonic activity. The tectonic activity would cause immense tidal waves and churning of the water, as the ocean level rose above the mountains."

Violence might indeed ensue, but by what unknown means, for which there is no physical evidence, was this water held in place before the 'Flood?'

The New International Version (NIV) of the Bible interprets the fountains as springs of the great deep. In the late 1970's, deep sea hydrothermal vents were discovered and some have thought to associate them with the Biblical springs of the great deep (Austin, 1981) . However, Lee (1992, p. 16) explains that they "are probably not the springs or fountains mentioned in Genesis 7:11, since they seem to be a side effect of seawater flowing through heated, fractured ocean crust, and not exit sites for an underground source of water."

I would like to propose an alternative view of the "fountains of the great deep" based on clear and consistent interpretations of the words and texts of the Bible that will provide a reasonable and excellent source of water for the Flood.

Let's begin with the beginning:

Genesis 7:11

• "...the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up,..." KJV
  "...on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth,..." NIV

THE GREAT DEEP

Because the fountains are OF the great deep it is important that we first discover what is this great deep. The word deep is translated from the Hebrew word tehom (Strong) and is used 34 times in the Bible. Nineteen times tehom is translated as deep, five times as depth and ten times as depths in the KJV. Let's look at some uses of tehom to get a better understanding of what it means.

Psalms 135:6

• "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places." KJV
  "The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths." NIV

Isaiah 51:10

• "Art thou not it which hast dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?" KJV
  "Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?" NIV

Psalms 106:9

• "He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness." KJV
  "He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert." NIV

Jonah 2:5

• "The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head." KJV
  "the engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head." NIV

It is obvious that in these verses, the term tehom refers to the sea, the oceans, the large bodies of water on the globe. In only two of the 34 verses does it appear to refer to waters coming out from the ground (Deuteronomy 8:7 and Ezekiel 31:4). It makes sense to use the most common meaning of the word unless special contextual evidence demands otherwise. So, let us now substitue oceans for the word deep in the text to see how that changes things

Genesis 7:11

• "...the same day were all the fountains of the great oceans broken up,..." KJV
  "...on that day all the springs of the great oceans burst forth,..." NIV

The word great comes from rabbah which means abundant (Strong). Put abundant with oceans and you get abundant oceans which can mean global water masses. In the Hebrew language the phrase tehom rabbah (great deep) became "a compound noun and was sterotyped and therefore always used without the definite article." (Hasel, 1974. p. 70) This means that there was not this or that great deep or a great deep among many, but rather an all encompassing great deep.

Again substitution gives us:

Genesis 7:11

• "...the same day were all the fountains of the global water masses broken up,..." KJV
  "...on that day all the springs of the global water masses burst forth,..." NIV

"The Hebrew word te'hom is translated by Gesenius as 'Urwasser, Ozean, das grosze Weltmeer.' Delitzsch translates it with 'unfathomable ocean.'" (Rehwinkel, 1951. p. 100)

Now that we have an idea what the 'great deep' could be, let us move on to the fountains.

THE FOUNTAINS

In the Old Testament of the King James Bible, the word fountain is translated from five different Hebrew words (see Table I), each of which has a different meaning (see Table II).

This should make us suspect that the word fountain is only an approximation for the words in the original language. To complicate things further, the word in our text, ma'yan, is elsewhere translated twice as springs, and five times as well or wells (Strong). And, when we look above at how the NIV translators treated the same Hebrew words, one has to wonder just how sure the translation process is. It seems as though the Hebrew words were treated as if they were synonymous and interchangable. Occasionally, some English words have the same or similar meanings, yet specific definitions makes each one unique. Common sense tells us the same must occure in Hebrew.

In a general sense, the words fountain, spring, well, and cistern can mean the same thing--a source (of water). Our word ma'yan is used just that way in several places in the Bible, both literally and figuratively:

Literally:

2 Kings 3:19

• "And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells (sources) of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones." KJV
  "You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs (sources of water), and ruin every good field with stones." NIV

2 Chronicles 32:4

• "So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the fountains (sources of water), and the brook that ran through the midst of the land, ..." KJV
  "A large force of men assembled, and they blocked all the springs (sources of water) and the stream that flowed through the land. ..." NIV

(See also: 1 Kings 18:5, 2 Kings 3:25, Psalm 74:15, Psalm 84:6, Psalm 104:10, Hosea 13:15.)

Figuratively:

Psalms 87:7

• "As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs (sources) are in thee." KJV
  "As they make music they will sing, 'All my fountains (sources) are in you.'" NIV

Isaiah 12:3

• "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells (sources) of salvation." KJ V
  "With joy you will draw water from the wells (sources) of salvation." NIV

(See also: Proverbs 5:16, Song of Soloman 4:12, Song of Soloman 4:15, Joel 3:18.)

There are more specific meanings for fountain. Along with the words spring and well, fountain can refer to a natural flow of water coming from the ground. It can also refer to a small reservoir for holding liquid such as for an oil lamp or for ink in a printing press. And, fountain can be a jet of water in a basin structure or the basin itself.

Obviously, before we can assign a specific definition from the above possibilities, we must first study the remaining verses of the Bible that use ma'yan to find the more specific meaning for the Hebrew word (Genesis 7:11, Genesis 8:02, Leviticus 11:36, Joshua 15:9, Joshua 18:15, Psalm 114:8, Proverbs 8:24, Proverbs 25:26, Isaiah 41:18). Our primary clue is found at the ancient site called Nephtoah.

Joshua 15:9

• "And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah," KJV
  "From the hill top the boundry headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah," NIV

Joshua 18:15

• "and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah." KJV
  "and the boundary came out at the spring of the waters of Nephtoah." NIV

At Nephtoah "...there is a copious spring called by the name of Samuel, which not only supplies large basons, but waters a succession of blooming gardens..." (Keil & Delitzach, 1980, p. 154) . Nephtoah is "...generally identified with Lifta, a village with a large fountain, the waters of which are collected in a great walled reservoir of very early origin..." (Cheyne, J.K. 1902) This reservoir makes ma'yan unique among the digged pit wells, cisterns, and springs that are associated with the other Hebrew words that are also translated as fountains, springs or wells (see Table III).

A fountain as a resevoir rather than water jets is typical in history. "An early example [of a fountain] is preserved in the carved Babylonian basin (c.3000 BC) found at Tello, the ancient Lagash in Mesopotaimia. An Assyrian fountain discovered in the gorge of the Comel River consists of basins cut in solid rock and descending in steps to the stream. Small conduits led the water from one basin to the other, the lowest of which was ornamented by two rampant lions in relief." In Greece: "...springs were frequently considered sacred and shrines were built around them, the water often emerging into artificial basins." "In Roman civilization, water was distributed from each terminal reservoir, or castellum, to baths and large houses as well as to many public fountains that supplied the bulk of the population." (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1991).

If the writer of Genesis 7 and 8 had wanted to communicate the concept of water jets, he could have used words like: nebek (to burst forth), asheded (an out pouring) or mabbuwa (to gush forth). Instead, he used ma'yan (a reservoir). These three words were used in other verses of the Bible for gullies, springs and fountains.

None of the sites mentioned in tabel III are known to be artesian--that is, a jet of water naturally squirting up out of the ground--nor have they artifical jets of water. Therefore, I propose that ma'yan would be better translated as reservoir in these remaining verses. Lets see how reservoir works:

Joshua 15:9 becomes

• "And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the reservoir of the waters of Nephtoah," KJV
  "From the hill top the boundry headed toward the reservoir of the waters of Nephtoah," NIV

Psalms 114:08

• "Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountain of water." KJV
  "Who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water." NIV

Becomes:

• "Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a reservoir of water." KJV
  "Who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into reservoirs of water." NIV

Proverbs 25:26

• "A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled fountain, and a corrupt spring." KJV
  "Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked." NIV

Becomes:

• "A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled reservoir, and a corrupt spring." KJV
  "Like a muddied reservoir or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked." NIV

Proverbs 8:24

• "When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water." KJV
  "When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water." NIV

Becomes:

• "When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no reservoirs abounding with water." KJV
  "When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no reservoirs abounding with water." NIV

In each verse the word reservoir fits very well and even makes the verses easier to understand. Lets now see how it fits into our text:

Genesis 7:11

• "...the same day were all the reservoirs of the global water masses broken up,..." KJV
  "...on that day all the reservoirs of the global water masses burst forth,..." NIV
  

The Fountain Pen

We don't call a fountain pen a fountain pen because it squirts jets of ink all over the place. If that were so, they would soon be very unpopular (with adults that is--uh, most adults). The reason they are called fountain pens is because they have a fount--i.e. a reservoir--which holds the ink. It is in this sense that the Genesis 7:11 fountains makes the most sense. After all, it is the fountains that are broken up. The reservoirs which hold or contain the oceans in basins are broken up and burst open. So now, lets substitute the words containers or basins for reservoirs in our text.

Genesis 7:11

• "...the same day were all the containers of the global water masses broken up,..." KJV
  "...on that day all the basins of the global water masses burst open,..." NIV

The text is begining to make gramatical sense. The most common interpretation of this text has the object of the preposition--tehom (the deep--misunderstood to be the ground)--being acted upon. After all, it is easier to imagine the ground being broken, rather than jets of water. But in reality, it is the noun--ma'yan (reservoir)--that is being broken up.

The phrase broken up comes from baqa. (Strong) "Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea and divided (baqa) it. The idea is a splitting apart of the waters of the Red sea. According to Judges 15:19 God split open (baqa) the hollow place and water came from it. In Isaiah 48:21 it is stated that he cleft (baca) the rock... In these verses the same verb...has consistently the meaning of bursting forth, dividing, cleaving, splitting open." (Hasel, 1974, p. 70 ) With that in mind, lets go back to the verse to see this point.

Genesis 7:11

• "...the same day were all the containers of the global water masses divided up,..." KJV
  "...on that day all the basins of the global water masses split open,..." NIV

The ma'yan is that part of the globe which holds the waters in vast reservoir depressions--i.e., the crust. "...the breaking forth of the fountains of the great deep would, then, mean that the ocean broke out and poured over the land.... But the statement that the fountains of the great deep were broken open implies a great deal more. It means that the earth was rent, that great fissures and chasms appeared on the surface of the earth." (Rehwinkel, 1951. p. 100, 101) A break up of the earth's crust would cause tremendous, catastrophic flooding as innumberable tsunamis sweep over the entire globe. The concept of plate tectonic breakup and 'drift' on an accelerated schedule fits well with Genesis 7:11. Combined with the collapse of the "waters above the firmament", the breakup of the crust would cause a global catastrophe. Tsunamai activity would cause stripping of soils and laying down of multiple, variable, sedimentary strata.

THE END

The end of the Flood is described in the same terminology as the begining.

Genesis 8:2

• "The fountains (ma'yan--crustial basins) also of the deep (oceans) and the windows of heaven were stopped,..." KJV
  "Now the springs (ma'yan--crustial basins) of the deep (oceans) and the flood gates of heaven had been closed,..." NIV

The stopping of tectonic movement would terminate tsunami action and allow the displaced, agitated waters to fully drain off highlands into newly formed basins on the crust.

SUMMARY

In summary: The word ma'yan, that is translated as fountains in some verses of the KJV, would be better translated as reservoirs or basins. It makes more sense to break up a reservoir basin than a jet of water. Since the oceans of the earth are the great deep, and the ma'yan are reservoirs, then the fountains of the great deep would be the reservoir basins on the crust of the globe that hold the oceans and bodies of water.

Genesis 7:11 would be better translated as:

• "...the same day were all the ocean basins divided up,..." KJV
  "...on that day all the ocean basins split appart..." NIV

And Genesis 8:2 becomes:

• "The convulsing ocean basins and the windows of heaven were stopped,..." KJV
  "Now the surging oceans and the flood gates of heaven had been closed,..." NIV

The rains of the Flood have long been given top billing over the fountains of the deep. But, the Bible gives priority to the fountains and so should we. The break up of the crust and continental masses would be the primary cause for high energy, high volume water reaction across the globe. The rainstorms for 150 days would be a contributing factor, but the forces evident in the geologic record depend upon catastrophic crustial movement.

While Uniformitarians would not be any more receptive to this series of catastrophic episodes, it would provide a much bigger concept than 40 days of rain. This is an idea that cannot be so easily dismissed because of the obvious catastrophic events evident in the geologic record. The rise of Neo-catastrophism makes a deluge caused by vast tectonic activity less odious.

References:

Austin, S.A. 1981. "Springs of the Ocean." Impact No. 98, August. Institute for Creation Research. El Cajon. California.

Brown, W.T. Jr. 1986. "The Fountains of the Great Deep." Proceedings of the First International Conference on Creationism. Edited by Rober E. Walsh and Christopher L. Brooks. Creation Science Fellowship. Pittsburgh. Vol. 1, pp. 23-41.

Cheyne, T.K. 1902. "Encyclopaedia Biblica" The Macmillan Company

Hasel, Gerhard F. 1974. "The Fountains of the Great Deep." Origins Vol. 1(2):67-72.

Keil & Dlitzsch, 1980. "Nephtoah." Commentary on the Old Testament in 10 volumes. Eardmans Publishing. Grand Rapids.

Lee, Jaqueline S. 1992. 3 "Hydrothermal Vents at Deep Sea Spreading Ridges: Modern-day Fountains of the Deep?" CRSQ 29:13-18.

The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1991. "Fountains." 15th edition. Vol. 4:902-39.

Oard, M.J. 1990. "An Ice Age Caused by the Genesis Flood." Institute for Creation Research. El Cajon. California.

Rehwinkel, Alfred M. 1951. "The Flood, in the Light of the Bible, Geology and Archaeology." Concordia Publishing House. Saint Louis. Missouri.

Strong, J. "The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible." Riverside Book and Bible House. Iowa Falls. Iowa.

Whitcomb, Jr. J.C. and H.M. Morris, 1961. "The Genesis Flood." Baker Book House. Grand Rapids. Michigan.

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