John 4:6 kjv
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.
John 4:6 nkjv
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
John 4:6 niv
Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
John 4:6 esv
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.
John 4:6 nlt
Jacob's well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.
John 4 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus's Humanity & Fatigue | ||
| Isa 53:3 | He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief... | Christ's shared human experience. |
| Heb 2:17-18 | Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest... For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. | Jesus's full identification with humanity. |
| Phil 2:7-8 | ...but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death... | Christ's incarnation and humility. |
| Mk 4:38 | But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” | Jesus experienced physical tiredness and rest. |
| Mt 8:20 | And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” | His weariness due to constant ministry. |
| Jn 11:35 | Jesus wept. | Emotional humanity of Christ. |
| Jacob's Well & Patriarchical History | ||
| Gen 33:19 | He bought from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, the parcel of land where he pitched his tent, for a hundred pieces of money. | Jacob purchased the land associated with the well. |
| Josh 24:32 | The bones of Joseph, which the people of Israel had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the parcel of land that Jacob bought... | Joseph's burial site, near the well. |
| Gen 12:6-7 | Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram... | Earliest patriarchal covenant at Shechem. |
| Dt 6:10-11 | “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers... to give you great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things... cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant—and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord..." | Reminder of God's provision in the land, including wells. |
| Gen 48:21-22 | Then Israel said to Joseph, “Behold, I am about to die, but God will be with you... Moreover, I have given to you rather than to your brothers one portion which I took from the hand of the Amorites... | Jacob's gift of extra land (Shechem) to Joseph. |
| Significance of Water & Living Water | ||
| Jer 2:13 | for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and dug out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. | God as the true source of "living water." |
| Zech 14:8 | On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem... | Prophecy of spiritual waters flowing. |
| Jn 7:37-39 | On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ” Now this he said about the Spirit... | Jesus offers the Holy Spirit as "living water." |
| Rev 21:6 | And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.” | Final invitation to the water of life. |
| Rev 22:1 | Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. | The eternal source of living water in heaven. |
| Ps 36:9 | For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light. | God as the fountain of all life. |
| Divine Appointment & Breaking Barriers | ||
| Lk 10:33 | But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. | Context for Jesus's positive view of Samaritans. |
| Acts 8:4-8 | Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. And the crowds with one accord paid attention... | Spread of the Gospel to Samaria after Pentecost. |
| Isa 65:1 | “I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me..." | God's initiative to reach the unexpected. |
| Hos 2:14 | “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her." | God's loving pursuit, like with the Samaritan woman. |
| Mal 3:1 | “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts." | Christ's arrival often at unexpected times/places. |
| Rom 5:6 | For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. | God's perfect timing for salvation encounters. |
John 4 verses
John 4 6 Meaning
John 4:6 sets the scene for a pivotal encounter in the Gospel narrative. It reveals Jesus's full humanity through His physical fatigue from a journey, leading Him to rest at a historical landmark, Jacob's well, during the heat of noon. This deliberate positioning highlights His real human need, yet simultaneously orchestrates a divinely purposed meeting that transcends profound social and religious barriers, making a way for spiritual revelation to come.
John 4 6 Context
John 4:6 serves as the narrative backdrop to one of the most significant and detailed one-on-one encounters Jesus has recorded in the Gospels: His interaction with the Samaritan woman. The verse places Jesus physically in Samaria, a region culturally and religiously estranged from Judea due to a long history of division, stemming from the Assyrian exile (2 Kgs 17:24) and mixed worship practices. Passing through Samaria was common but direct engagement was rare for Jews. Jesus's choice to rest at Jacob's well, a site deeply symbolic of Israelite patriarchal history and identity, and at "about noon" (the sixth hour), a time when most women would avoid the harsh sun and thus typically not fetch water, underscores the divine orchestration of this unusual meeting. This specific setting not only emphasizes Jesus's genuine humanity but also prepares the reader for the breaking of significant cultural, social, and religious taboos (Jew and Samaritan, male and female, Rabbi and marginalized woman) that follow, paving the way for the revelation of God's universal redemptive purpose.
John 4 6 Word analysis
Jacob's well: (Greek: Πηγὴ τοῦ Ἰακώβ - Pēgē tou Iakōb). Refers to the physical well associated with the patriarch Jacob (Gen 33:19; Josh 24:32), which stood near the city of Sychar in Samaria. Its presence immediately evokes centuries of Jewish history and identity, placing the unfolding drama within a rich, foundational narrative. This location is polemical in a way; Jewish identity was often linked to this patriarch, yet Samaritans also claimed Jacob, highlighting a point of shared heritage but contested interpretation.
was there: Denotes the established reality and permanence of the well, anchoring the narrative in a tangible, historical location.
and Jesus, : Introduces the central figure, immediately transitioning from the geographical setting to the active subject of the verse.
tired: (Greek: κεκoπιακώς - kekopiakōs). A perfect participle from the verb κοπιάω (kopiao), meaning to toil, labor, become weary, or exhausted. This word specifically signifies physical exhaustion resulting from strenuous effort or a long journey. It highlights Jesus's genuine humanity, His incarnate nature, sharing fully in human physical limitations. This is a crucial detail, affirming His identification with humanity.
from the journey,: Explicitly states the reason for His fatigue, connecting His weariness to the physical exertion of travel.
sat down: (Greek: ἐκαθέζετο - ekathezeto). An imperfect active indicative from καθέζομαι (kathezomai), signifying a customary or ongoing action. It implies a deliberate act of seeking rest, suggesting a state of waiting and receptiveness, rather than just momentary squatting. This posture shows His availability for interaction.
by the well. : Specifies the exact spot of rest, indicating His proximity to the water source and His readiness for the encounter about to unfold.
It was about noon. : (Greek: ὡς ἕκτη ὥρα - hōs hektē hōra). Literally, "about the sixth hour," which, by Jewish reckoning (starting the day at sunrise), translates to approximately 12:00 PM. This is an unusual time for women to fetch water due to the intense midday heat, suggesting that the woman who appears (Jn 4:7) may have chosen this hour to avoid social interaction, or it points to a divine appointment, with Jesus awaiting her at this specific, pre-ordained moment. The timing adds a layer of providential significance to the scene.
Words-group analysis:
- "Jesus, tired from the journey, sat down by the well.": This phrase powerfully emphasizes the reality of Christ's incarnation. He is not a spirit or phantom but fully human, subject to physical needs like fatigue. This humanness makes Him relatable and prepares the way for His intimate interaction with the Samaritan woman. It demonstrates His genuine, unadorned state, divesting Himself of glory for this specific mission.
- "Jacob’s well was there...It was about noon.": The combination of a historically significant landmark and a precise, unusual time underscores divine intentionality. The setting is laden with historical meaning, providing context for the upcoming discussion about heritage and worship. The time further signals that this encounter is not accidental but orchestrated, creating an ideal moment for revelation, even amidst what appears to be a mundane need for rest.
John 4 6 Bonus section
The depth of Jacob's well (estimated between 75 to 100 feet deep, historically believed to be deeper than any other in the region) contrasts starkly with the spiritual depth of the "living water" Jesus offers. The physical water requires effort to draw, symbolizing human attempts to satisfy spiritual thirst, while the living water Jesus gives is freely received and never runs dry. The very act of Jesus, as the Incarnate Word and the "True Israel," resting at Jacob's well connects His identity deeply to the covenant promises and the history of Israel, yet He immediately uses this ancient backdrop to announce a new era of worship that transcends physical locations and inherited lineage. His rest is not merely passive; it is an active waiting, an essential step in God's redemptive plan to draw all people to Himself.
John 4 6 Commentary
John 4:6, though concise, is foundational for the rich theological discourse that follows in John 4. It establishes Jesus's genuine humanity; He experiences real physical fatigue from travel, demonstrating His full participation in the human condition, making Him accessible and relatable. His purposeful presence at Jacob's well, a site deeply rooted in Israelite patriarchal history, highlights the spiritual heritage that both Jews and Samaritans, in their fragmented ways, claimed. The specific timing ("about noon") is crucial, suggesting divine choreography, as it sets the stage for an encounter that transcends common societal and religious norms. Jesus's very act of sitting, weary and waiting, creates a posture of receptiveness and intentionality, preparing the way for Him to offer "living water" and reveal profound truths about true worship and His messianic identity to someone most would disregard. The physical context is paramount, setting the scene for a revolutionary spiritual conversation.