John 4:7-10

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 4:4-26

We have here an account of the good Christ did in Samaria, when he passed through that country in his way to Galilee. The Samaritans, both in blood and religion, were mongrel Jews, the posterity of those colonies which the king of Assyria planted there after the captivity of the ten tribes, with whom the poor of the land that were left behind, and many other Jews afterwards, incorporated themselves. They worshipped the God of Israel only, to whom they erected a temple on mount Gerizim, in... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 4:1-9

4:1-9 So when the Lord learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although it was not Jesus himself who was in the habit of baptizing but his disciples), he quilted Judaea and went away again to Galilee. Now he had to pass through Samaria. He came to a town of Samaria, called Sychar, which is near the piece of ground which Jacob gave to Joseph, his son, and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, tired from the journey, was sitting by the well... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 4:10-15

4:10-15 Jesus answered her: "If you knew the free gift that God is offering you, and if you knew who is speaking to you, and if you knew who was saying to you: 'Give me to drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." The woman said to him: "Sir, you have no bucket to draw with and the well is deep. Where does this living water that you have come from? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well, and who himself drank from it with his children and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 4:7

There cometh a woman of Samaria ,.... Or "out of Samaria"; not out of the city of Samaria, but out of the country of Samaria; out of Sychar, a city of Samaria: her coming was not by chance, but by the providence of God, and agreeably to his purpose, who orders all things according to the counsel of his will; and it is an amazing instance of grace, that a woman, a Samaritan woman, a lewd and infamous one, should be a chosen vessel of salvation, should be the object of divine favour, and be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 4:8

For his disciples were gone away ,.... This is related, not so much to give a reason why Christ asked the woman for water, because his disciples were not present, to minister to him; but rather to show, that Christ took the opportunity, in their absence, to converse with her; partly to avoid the scandal and offence they might take, at his conversation with her, being a Samaritan; as it appears to have been astonishing to them, when they found him talking with her, John 4:27 . And partly,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 4:9

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him ,.... In a scoffing, jeering way, how is it, that thou being a Jew ; which she might know, by his language and his dress: askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria ? not that the waters of Samaria were unlawful for a Jew to drink of; for as "the land of the Cuthites (or Samaritans), was pure, or clean, so, מקותיה , "their collections of water", and their habitations, and their ways were clean F13 T. Hieros. Avoda Zara, fol. 44.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 4:10

Jesus answered and said unto her ,.... In a very serious manner, in a different way from hers: if thou knewest the gift of God ; meaning, not the Holy Spirit with his gifts and graces, as some think, but himself; for the following clause is explanatory of it; and who it is that saith to thee, give me to drink ; and Christ is also spoken of in the Old Testament, as the gift of God, Isaiah 9:6 and he had lately spoken of himself as such, John 3:16 and he is, by way of eminency,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 4:7

There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water - That this was the employment of the females, we see in different parts of the Sacred Writings. See Genesis 24:11 , etc.; Exodus 2:16 , and the note at the end of that chapter. The Jews say that those who wished to get wives went to the wells where young women were accustomed to come and draw water; and it is supposed that women of ill fame frequented such places also. See several proofs in Schoettgen. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 4:9

That thou, being a Jew - Probably the inhabitants of Judea distinguished themselves from those of Samaria by some peculiar mode of dress; and by this the Samaritan woman might have known Christ: but it is likely that our Lord spoke the Galilean dialect, by which we find, from Mark 14:70 , a Jew of that district might easily be known. The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans - Perhaps better, Jews have no communion with Samaritans. These words appear to be added by the evangelist... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 4:10

If thou knewest the gift of God - Δωρεαν signifies a free gift. A gift is any thing that is given, for which no equivalent has been or is to be returned: a free gift is that which has been given without asking or entreaty. Such a gift of kindness was Jesus Christ to the world, John 3:16 ; and through him comes the gift of the Spirit, which those who believe on his name were to receive. Christ was not an object of desire to the world - no man asked for him; and God, moved thereto by his... read more

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