John 4:11

11 The woman saith to him, Sire, thou hast not wherein to draw [Sire, neither thou hast in what thing thou shalt draw], and the pit is deep; whereof then hast thou quick water?

John 4:11 Meaning and Commentary

John 4:11

The woman saith unto him, Sir
Which was an usual, way in those countries, of addressing men, and especially strangers; and expresses no uncommon respect to Christ, of whose dignity and greatness she was, entirely ignorant; and at whom she was now scoffing; for so the following words are to be understood:

thou hast nothing to draw with;
no pail, or bucket, or rope, to let it down with, as Nonnus adds; for it seems, there was no bucket, or vessel, fastened at the well for the common use, but everyone brought one with them, when they came to draw: though it is strange there was not one; since, according to common usage, and even of the Jews ^F21,

``a public well had, (lwq) , "a bucket", or pitcher; but a private well had no bucket:''

and the well is deep;
that which is now called Jacob's well, is by some said to be forty cubits deep, and by others thirty five yards:

from whence then hast thou that living water?
this she said in a sneering, scoffing manner: she reasoned with him, either that he must have it out of this well; but that could not be, since he had no vessel to draw with, and the well was so deep, that he could not come at the water without one; or he must have it from some neighbouring spring; upon which she scoffs at him in the following manner.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 T. Hieros. Erubin, fol. 20. 2.

John 4:11 In-Context

9 Therefore that woman of Samaria saith to him, How thou, that art a Jew, askest of me a drink, that am a woman of Samaria [which am a woman of Samaria]? for [the] Jews used not to deal with [the] Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered, and said to her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is, that saith to thee, Give me [to] drink, thou peradventure wouldest have asked of him, and he should have given to thee quick water.

11 The woman saith to him, Sire, thou hast not wherein to draw [Sire, neither thou hast in what thing thou shalt draw], and the pit is deep; whereof then hast thou quick water?

12 Whether thou art greater than our father Jacob, that gave to us the pit? and he drank thereof, and his sons, and his beasts.

13 Jesus answered, and said to her, Each man that drinketh of this water, shall thirst again;