Bible Encyclopedias
En

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(עין , ‛ayı̄n (compare Arabic ‛Ain )): The Hebrew word for "spring" or "fountain" (Genesis 16:7; Numbers 33:9; Nehemiah 2:14; Proverbs 8:28 (feminine plural)). It occurs in numerous compound words, as EN-GEDI , EN-HADDAH , EN-HAKKORE , EN-HAZOR , EN-RIMMON , EN-ROGEL , EN-SHEMESH (which see). In the same way the word ‛Ain is a very common component of Arabic names of places throughout Palestine and Syria at the present day. Places with names compounded with "En-" were almost certainly located near a spring. See FOUNTAIN; WELL .