Original Word: מַשְׁאָב
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: mash'ab
Pronunciation: mah-shawb'
Phonetic Spelling: (mash-awb')
KJV: place of drawing water
NASB: watering places
Word Origin: [from H7579 (שָׁאַב - draw)]

1. a trough for cattle to drink from

place of drawing water

From sha'ab; a trough for cattle to drink from -- place of drawing water.

see HEBREW sha'ab

Word Origin
from shaab
Definition
probably place of drawing (water)
NASB Translation
watering places (1).

[מַשְׁאָב] noun [masculine] apparently drawing place of water; only plural מַשְׁאַבִּים Judges 5:11.

Scriptural Occurrence

Judges 5:11 places מַשְׁאָב at the heart of the Song of Deborah and Barak: “At the watering places shall they recount the righteous acts of the LORD, the righteous deeds of His villagers in Israel” (Berean Standard Bible). The single appearance underscores how a commonplace location—the community’s watering site—became a stage for covenant testimony and praise after the LORD’s dramatic victory over Canaanite oppression.

Historical and Cultural Background

In agrarian Israel, watering places were more than utilitarian troughs; they were social hubs where herds, travelers, and local villagers converged. Wells and springs, often flanked by stone channels or wooden troughs, provided essential hydration in an arid land (Genesis 24:11; Exodus 2:16–17). By the period of the Judges (approximately thirteenth–twelfth centuries BC), such sites doubled as strategic checkpoints and communication centers, making them ideal for spreading news of deliverance.

Liturgical Function in Judges 5

The Song of Deborah twice calls Israel to “awake” and “sing” (Judges 5:12). At the watering places, victorious fighters and civilian shepherds alike retold “the righteous acts of the LORD.” The word choice highlights three intertwined realities:

1. The LORD’s deeds of covenant faithfulness.
2. The people’s responsibility to remember and proclaim.
3. The democratization of praise—elite and commoner together magnifying God in a public space.

Thus, מַשְׁאָב marks a transition from battlefield to worship service, turning an everyday gathering point into a sanctuary of testimony.

Watering Places as Biblical Motif

1. Provision and protection – Hagar and Ishmael (Genesis 21:19), Elijah (1 Kings 17:3–6), and Israel in the wilderness (Numbers 20:11) reveal God as supplier at life-sustaining waters.
2. Covenant encounter – Abraham’s servant meets Rebekah by a well (Genesis 24:15-27), signifying divine guidance for covenant lineage.
3. Revelation of Messiah – Jesus identifies Himself as “living water” beside Jacob’s well (John 4:10–14), fulfilling the typology of life-giving refreshment hinted at in earlier watering scenes.

Theological Themes

• Remembrance: The public rehearsal of God’s righteous acts secures collective memory and guards against the amnesia that leads to apostasy (Deuteronomy 6:12).
• Witness: Ordinary venues become pulpits. When the righteous recount His works, even casual listeners receive revelation (Psalm 40:10).
• Community solidarity: Mַשְׁאָב draws multiple tribes together (Judges 5:14-18), illustrating unity forged through shared testimony.

Ministry Implications

1. Leverage ordinary spaces. Modern believers can transform everyday meeting points—coffee shops, workplaces, digital “watering holes”—into forums for celebrating God’s faithfulness.
2. Encourage story-telling worship. Testimonies of deliverance rehearse the gospel, fortify faith, and invite outsiders to taste and see (Psalm 34:8).
3. Integrate all demographics. Judges 5 showcases both leaders and villagers; contemporary ministry should similarly platform diverse voices to declare the LORD’s deeds.

Christological Reflection

The physical watering place of Judges 5 anticipates the spiritual wellspring offered in Jesus Christ. The victorious Judge of Deborah’s day prefigures the ultimate Deliverer, whose triumph is celebrated wherever believers gather to “proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness” (1 Peter 2:9).

Related Scriptures for Further Study

Genesis 24:10–27; Exodus 2:15–21; Numbers 21:16-18; Psalm 78:15-16; Isaiah 12:3; John 4:5-26; Revelation 7:17; Revelation 22:1-2.

Summary

Though מַשְׁאָב appears only once, its placement in Judges 5:11 magnifies an enduring principle: God meets His people in the rhythms of daily life and invites them to turn commonplace gatherings into platforms of praise, remembrance, and witness.

מַשְׁאַבִּ֔ים משאבים maš’abbîm maš·’ab·bîm mashabBimInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts