Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The text subtly highlights Jesus's exhaustion, not just physical tiredness, but a weariness from his ministry and the weighty mission he carried. This detail emphasizes his true humanity, making his subsequent profound interaction with the Samaritan woman even more striking.
Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus, intentionally passing through Samaria despite the animosity between Jews and Samaritans, stops by Jacob's well, weary from his journey. This sets the scene for his encounter with a Samaritan woman, as his disciples have gone into town to buy food.
We often picture Jesus as somehow above the physical struggles of life. But this verse paints a different picture. Why is His weariness so significant?
The Gospel of John, often seen as highly theological, makes sure to emphasize Jesus' very real humanity. Here, He is 'wearied as he was from his journey.' This isn't just a passing comment; it's a deliberate detail.
The Cost of the Journey
Jesus had traveled from Judea, a significant distance, and the physical toll was evident. He sat down, not on a throne or a fancy seat, but by the well, in the posture of someone utterly exhausted.
A Window into His Experience
This weariness reminds us that Jesus truly entered into our human experience, with all its limitations and physical demands. Theologians note that this allows Him to be a High Priest who can 'sympathize with our weaknesses' (Hebrews 4:15). His exhaustion wasn't a pretense; it was a genuine part of His embodied life.
Jesus stopped to rest at Jacob's well, a place with deep historical and spiritual significance. Was this just a random stop, or something more deliberate?
Jesus' journey from Judea to Galilee required passing through Samaria. While He wasn't seeking the crowds of Judea due to the Pharisees' opposition, His path led Him through this very region.
The Significance of Jacob's Well
Jacob's well was a well-known, ancient site. It was a place where people gathered, a vital resource in the arid landscape. It's here, at a point of weariness, that Jesus stops.
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Divine Timing and Encounter
The text implies Jesus' stop wasn't accidental. He sat by the well, and it was at this specific time ('about the sixth hour,' likely noon) that the Samaritan woman arrived. This wasn't mere chance; it was divine orchestration, setting the stage for a pivotal encounter.
Understand the original words
Ya‘aqov · Hebrew Proper Noun
The patriarch of Israel, whose story represents the covenantal foundation and historical inheritance of the Jewish people. References to his well evoke the history of God's interaction with the fathers of the faith.
kopiaō · Greek Adjective/Participle
Describes the physical, emotional, or spiritual exhaustion experienced by a person, illustrating the true humanity of Jesus Christ, who experienced human limitations.
This encounter at Jacob's Well is deeply significant because it occurs at a place historically tied to Israel's patriarchs, yet within a region marked by religious division and ethnic animosity. Jesus, weary and resting at noon on a day's journey, breaks through centuries of separation to offer the living water of salvation to a Samaritan woman, demonstrating the universal reach of God's kingdom.
c. 1800 BC
Jacob's Encounter at Peniel
Jacob, after fleeing from Laban, wrestles with God at Peniel and encounters Him as a man. Later, Jacob journeys and settles near Shechem, where he digs a well.
c. 1400 BC
Conquest of Canaan
The Israelites, led by Joshua, conquer Canaan. The city of Shechem becomes a significant location, associated with blessings and curses from Mounts Gerizim and Ebal.
c. 975 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's reign, the united kingdom of Israel splits. The northern kingdom, including Samaria, is established, leading to increasing religious and political separation from Judah.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Exile of Samaria
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel and deports many of its inhabitants. Foreigners are resettled in Samaria, intermarrying with the remaining Israelites and creating the Samaritan people with their distinct religious practices.
c. 450 BC
Nehemiah and Samaritan Opposition
During the post-exilic period, Samaritans, led by figures like Sanballat, actively oppose Jewish efforts to rebuild Jerusalem and its walls, highlighting the deep animosity between the two groups.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry in Judea, attracting a growing number of disciples, which causes concern and resentment among the Pharisees.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Travels Through Samaria
Jesus, aware of Pharisaic hostility, travels from Judea towards Galilee. His route necessitates passing through Samaria, a region typically avoided by Jews.
This passage describes Jacob's dream at Bethel, where he encounters God and vows to worship Him if God protects him and provides for him, highlighting the significance of wells and places of encounter with God in the patriarchal history.
Exodus 2:15-22Here, Moses finds refuge in Midian and encounters Jethro's daughters at a well, where he waters their flock, showing a parallel of a significant encounter at a well involving a future leader and a local woman.
Deuteronomy 8:7-10This text describes the Promised Land as a land of springs and wells, a stark contrast to Egypt, emphasizing the abundance and blessing associated with water sources in the land God promised to His people.
1 Kings 18:31-35During Elijah's dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he orders water to be poured on the altar and the sacrifice, filling the trench around it, demonstrating the vital importance and symbolic power of water, even in ritual contexts.
calvinJohn 4:1-9: "When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,"
- When, therefore, the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (2. Though Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples,) 3. He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. 4. And it was necessary that he should pass through Samaria. 5. He came, therefore, into the city of Samaria, which is called Sichar, near a f…
clarkeJohn 4:6: "Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour."
Jacob's well was there - Of this well Mr. Maundrell gives the following account. "About one-third of an hour from Naplosa, the ancient Sychar and Sychem, stood Jacob's well. If it be inquired, whether this be the very place, seeing it may be suspected to stand too remote from Sychar for the women to come and draw water, we may answer - that, in all prob…
The text subtly highlights Jesus's exhaustion, not just physical tiredness, but a weariness from his ministry and the weighty mission he carried. This detail emphasizes his true humanity, making his subsequent profound interaction with the Samaritan woman even more striking.
Jesus, intentionally passing through Samaria despite the animosity between Jews and Samaritans, stops by Jacob's well, weary from his journey. This sets the scene for his encounter with a Samaritan woman, as his disciples have gone into town to buy food.
Jesus, intentionally passing through Samaria despite the animosity between Jews and Samaritans, stops by Jacob's well, weary from his journey. This sets the scene for his encounter with a Samaritan woman, as his disciples have gone into town to buy food.
"Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour." — The text subtly highlights Jesus's exhaustion, not just physical tiredness, but a weariness from his ministry and the weighty mission he carried. This detail emphasizes his true humanity, making hi…
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Last reviewed October 2026