Jacob’s Well — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Place mentioned only in John’s Gospel (Jn 4:5-29). It was here that Jesus sat and talked with the unnamed woman of Samaria, who readily accepted Jesus’ words. This well is located in a plot of ground acquired by the patriarch Jacob, about 300 yards (274 meters) southeast from the traditional tomb of Joseph (Gn 33:19; Jos 24:32; Jn 4:5-6). The site is about two miles (3.2 kilometers) southeast of modern Nablus, 600 yards (549 meters) southeast of the site of ancient Shechem (modern Balata), and 1,000 yards (914 meters) south of Sychar (modern Askar). Towering over the site on the northwest is Mt Ebal (at the foot of which lies Askar), and on the southwest Mt Gerizim, mountains of cursing and blessing, respectively (Dt 27:12-13; Jos 8:30-33). Near here Abraham built his first altar, and Jacob his second (Gn 12:6-7; 33:18-20). Thus the site is one of the most ancient and sacred in the Holy Land.

Show passage in OET: GEN 33:19

OET-RV GEN 33:19

19 In due course, he bought the portion of the field where he’d pitched his tents from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shekem, for a hundred pieces of silver.

OET-LV GEN 33:19

19 And_he _bought DOM the _portion _of the_field where he _had _pitched there tent _of_his from_the _hand _of the _sons _of Ḩₐmōr the _father _of Shəkem for_a _hundred piece[s]_of _money.

Show passage in OET: JOS 24:32

OET-RV JOS 24:32

32 They buried Yosef’s (Joseph) bones (that they had carried out from Mitsrayim (Egypt)) in Shekem—in the portion of the field that Ya’akov (Jacob) had bought from the sons of Hamor (Shekem’s father) for a hundred coins, and that land became the inheritance of Yosef’s descendants.

OET-LV JOS 24:32

32 And_DOM the _bones _of Yōşēf/(Joseph) which the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) they _had _brought _up from_Miʦrayim/(Egypt) they _buried at_Shəkem in_the _portion _of the_field which Yaˊₐqoⱱ/(Jacob) he _had _bought from_with the _sons _of Ḩₐmōr the _father _of Shəkem for_a _hundred piece[s]_of _money and_they _were of_the _descendants _of of _Yōşēf (into)_an_inheritance.

Show passage in OET: JHN 4:5–6

OET-RV JHN 4:5

5 By choosing that route, they came to a town in Shomron called Sukar, which was near the place that the patriarch Yosef (Joseph) had inherited from his father Ya’akov (Jacob),

OET-RV JHN 4:6

6 and ‘Ya’akov’s well’ was there. Yeshua was tired from all the walking and was sitting by the well around midday.

OET-LV JHN 4:5

5 Therefore he _is _coming to a_city of_ the _Samareia being _called Suⱪar, near the property which Yakōb/(Yaˊₐqoⱱ) gave to_ the _Yōsaʸf/(Yōşēf), the son of _him,

OET-LV JHN 4:6

6 and well of_ the _Yakōb was there.
Therefore the Yaʸsous having _wearied from the journey, was _sitting thus at the well.
The_hour was about the_sixth.

Show passage in OET: DEU 27:12–13

OET-RV DEU 27:12

12 “After you’ve all crossed the Yarden (Jordan) river, the tribes of Shim’on (Simeon), Levi, Yehudah (Judah), Yisakar (Issachar), Yosef (Joseph), and Benyamin must stand on Mt. Gerizim and bless the people.

OET-RV DEU 27:13

13 Meanwhile, the tribes of Re’uven, Gad, Asher, Zevulun, Dan, and Naftali (Naphtali) must stand on Mt. Eyval to hear the curse.

OET-LV DEU 27:12

12 These_tribes they _will _stand to_bless DOM the_people on the _mountain _of Gərizīm when_you_have _passed _over DOM the_Yardēn/(Jordan) Shimˊōn and_Lēvī and_Yəhūdāh/(Yihudah) and_Yissāskār/(Issachar) and_Yōşēf/(Joseph) and_Binyāmīn.

OET-LV DEU 27:13

13 And_these they _will _stand on the_curse on_the _mountain _of ˊĒyⱱāl Rəʼūⱱēn Gād and_ʼĀshēr and_Zəⱱūlūn Dān and_Naftali.

Show passage in OET: JOS 8:30–33

OET-RV JOS 8:30

30 Then Yehoshua (Joshua) built an altar to Yisrael’s (Israel) god, Yahweh on Mt. Eyval

OET-RV JOS 8:31

31 just like Yahweh’s servant Mosheh (Moses) had instructed them. (It was written in the scroll of the rules from Mosheh that it must be an altar made from whole stones that haven’t been chiselled with iron tools.) Then they offered burnt offerings to Yahweh on it, plus they sacrificed peace offerings,

OET-RV JOS 8:32

32 and while the Israelis watched, Yehoshua inscribed onto the stones there, a copy of the rules passed on by Mosheh.

OET-RV JOS 8:33

33 Then all of Yisrael and their elders and officials and judges were standing some on each side of the box containing Yahweh’s agreement, facing the priests and the Levites who carried the box. Any resident foreigners were also there. Half of the people stood on the Mt. Gerizim side, and half on the Mt. Eyval side of the valley, just like the way that Yahweh’s servant Mosheh had originally commanded for blessing the people.

OET-LV JOS 8:30

30 Then Yəhōshūˊa he _built an _altar to/for_YHWH the _god _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) on_the _mountain _of ˊĒyⱱāl.

OET-LV JOS 8:31

31 Just_as Mosheh the _servant _of YHWH he _had _commanded DOM the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) according_what _is_written in_the _book _of the _law _of Mosheh an _altar _of stones complete which not anyone _has _wielded on_them iron and_they _offered _up on/upon/above_him/it burnt _offerings to/for_YHWH and_they _sacrificed peace _offerings.

OET-LV JOS 8:32

32 And_he _wrote there on the_stones DOM (the)_copy _of the _law _of Mosheh which he _had _written to_(the)_face _of/in _front _of/before the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

OET-LV JOS 8:33

33 And_all Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_its _of_elders and_officials and_judges _of_its were_standing from_this and_from_this of_box before the_priests the_Lēviyyiy who_carried _of (of)_the _box _of the _covenant _of YHWH as_sojourner as_native of _it _of_half was_to the _front of _the _mountain _of of _Gərizīm and _(the)_half_of_it was_to the _front of _the _mountain _of of _ˊĒyⱱāl just_as Mosheh the _servant _of YHWH he _had _commanded to_bless DOM the_people Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) at_time.

Show passage in OET: GEN 12:6–7

OET-RV GEN 12:6

6 they continued travelling as far as the city of Shekem, to Moreh’s oak tree. (The Kena’anim (Canaanites) were still living in that region at that time.)

OET-RV GEN 12:7

7 Then Yahweh came to Avram and told him, “I’ll give this land to your descendants.” So Avram built an altar there and made a burnt offering to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.

OET-LV GEN 12:6

6 And_ ʼAⱱrām _he/it _passed _through on _the_earth to the _place _of Shəkem to the _great _tree _of Mōreh and_the_Kənaˊₐnīte then on _the_earth.

OET-LV GEN 12:7

7 And_ YHWH _he _appeared to ʼAⱱrām and_he/it _said to_offspring _of_your I _will _give DOM the_earth/land (the)_this and_he/it _built there an _altar to/for_YHWH who_had_appeared to_him/it.

Show passage in OET: GEN 33:18–20

OET-RV GEN 33:18

18 Then Ya’akov (Jacob), having come from Padan -Aram, arrived peacefully at the city of Shekem in the Kena’an (Canaan) region, and he camped outside the city.

OET-RV GEN 33:19

19 In due course, he bought the portion of the field where he’d pitched his tents from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shekem, for a hundred pieces of silver.

OET-RV GEN 33:20

20 He set up an altar there and he named it ‘El Elohe Yisrael’ (Israel) (which means ‘God, the god of Yisrael’).

OET-LV GEN 33:18

18 And_ Yaˊₐqoⱱ _he _came safe the _city _of Shəkem which in_land of _Kənaˊan/(Canaan) when_came_he from_Paddan- aram and_he _camped with the _face _of the_city.

OET-LV GEN 33:19

19 And_he _bought DOM the _portion _of the_field where he _had _pitched there tent _of_his from_the _hand _of the _sons _of Ḩₐmōr the _father _of Shəkem for_a _hundred piece[s]_of _money.

OET-LV GEN 33:20

20 And_he _set _up there an _altar and_he/it _called to_him/it ʼĒl Elohey _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Jump to OET GEN 33:19 section.

Jump to OET JOS 24:32 section.

Jump to OET JHN 4:5–6 section.

Jump to OET DEU 27:12–13 section.

Jump to OET JOS 8:30–33 section.

Jump to OET GEN 12:6–7 section.

Jump to OET GEN 33:18–20 section.

The well is about 100 feet (30.5 meters) in depth and one yard (.9 meter) in diameter, cut through limestone. Fed by subterranean streams from the adjacent mountain slopes, the water is pure and plentiful, the pride of the villagers. A church has existed on the site from at least AD 380. The Greek Orthodox Church acquired the site in 1885 and built a structure on the site. Access to the well is by steps leading from either side of the church altar to the well curb below.