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;
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.