John 4:6

“Now Jacob’s well was there, etc.] So called, either because it was dug by him; or because he and his family made use of it, when in those parts, as in (<430412>John 4:12), though no mention is made of it elsewhere, unless any reference is had to it in the blessing of Joseph, to whom this place belonged, (<014922>Genesis 49:22), as Dr. Lightfoot thinks, or in (<053328>Deuteronomy 33:28), as Grotius suggests: in the Talmud f172 there is mention made, of rkws ˆy[, “the fountain of Sochar”; and may not improperly be rendered, “the well of Sychar”: but whether the same with this, is not certain; that appears to be a great way from Jerusalem, as this also was, even forty miles: Jesus therefore…”

“wearied . . . sat thus--that is, "as you might fancy a weary man would"; an instance of the graphic style of St. John [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. In fact, this is perhaps the most human of all the scenes of our Lord's earthly history. We seem to be beside Him, overhearing all that is here recorded, nor could any painting of the scene on canvas, however perfect, do other than lower the conception which this exquisite narrative conveys to the devout and intelligent reader. But with all that is human, how much also of the divine have we here, both blended in one glorious manifestation of the majesty, grace, pity, patience with which "the Lord" imparts light and life to this unlikeliest of…”

“Jacob’s well - This is not mentioned in the Old Testament. It was called “Jacob’s well,” probably, either because it was handed down by tradition that he dug it, or because it was near to the land which he gave to Joseph. There is still a well a few miles to the east of Nablus, which is said by the people there to be the same. Eli Smith, missionary to Syria, stated to me that he had visited this well. It is about 100 feet deep. It is cut through solid rock of limestone. It is now dry, probably from having been partly filled with rubbish, or perhaps because the water has been diverted by earthquakes. The well is covered with a large stone, which has a hole in the center large enough to admit…”

“Jesus sat down - Weary as he was. It was the sixth hour - Noon; the heat of the day. John 4:7”

“Jacob's well: Over Jacob's well the empress Helena is said to have built a church, in the form of a cross, of which "nothing but a few foundations" remained in the time of Maundrell. He states that is situated about one-third of an hour, or, about a mile, east of Naplosa, the ancient Sychar; and Mr. Buckingham says it is called Beer Samareea, or the well of Samaria, and "stands at the commencement of the round vale which is thought to be the parcel of ground bought by Jacob, and which, like the narrow valley east of Nablous, is rich and fertile. The mouth of the well itself had an arched or vaulted building over it; and the only passage down to it at this moment is by a small hole in the…”