John 4:15

KJV

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

KJV (with Strong's)

The woman {G1135} saith {G3004} unto {G4314} him {G846}, Sir {G2962}, give {G1325} me {G3427} this {G5124} water {G5204}, that {G3363} I thirst {G1372} not {G3363}, neither {G3366} come {G2064} hither {G1759} to draw {G501}.

Complete Jewish Bible

“Sir, give me this water,” the woman said to him, “so that I won’t have to be thirsty and keep coming here to draw water.”

Berean Standard Bible

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I will not get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”

American Standard Version

The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come all the way hither to draw.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
The Samaritan woman, still operating under a purely literal understanding of Jesus' offer of "living water," requests that Jesus give her this miraculous water so that she would never again experience physical thirst or the arduous task of drawing water from the well. Her plea reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the spiritual reality Jesus is presenting, yet it also highlights a deep human longing for relief from daily toil and a permanent solution to a recurring need.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within the pivotal and extended dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, beginning in [John 4:5](/john/4-5 "John 4:5 - Jesus at Jacob's Well"). Jesus, weary from His journey, initiates conversation by asking for a drink ([John 4:7](/john/4-7 "John 4:7 - Jesus Asks for a Drink")). This surprising request from a Jewish man to a Samaritan woman sets the stage for a profound theological exchange. Jesus then introduces the concept of "living water" in [John 4:10](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Jesus Offers Living Water"), contrasting it with the physical water of the well. The woman's initial response in [John 4:11-12](/john/4-11-12 "John 4:11-12 - The Woman's Question About Drawing Water") focuses on the practical impossibility of Jesus drawing water without a bucket. Jesus further clarifies His offer in [John 4:13-14](/john/4-13-14 "John 4:13-14 - The Promise of Never Thirsting Again"), explaining that His water provides eternal satisfaction. [John 4:15](/john/4-15 "John 4:15 - The Samaritan Woman's Request for Physical Water") marks the woman's continued literal interpretation, expressing a desire for physical convenience rather than spiritual renewal.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The encounter at Jacob's well was fraught with social and religious tension. Samaritans were a mixed ethnic and religious group, despised by Jews, who considered them ritually unclean and religiously apostate. For a Jewish man, especially a rabbi, to speak to a Samaritan woman in public was a radical breach of social custom and purity laws. Furthermore, women typically drew water in the cooler parts of the day, often in groups; the woman's presence alone at midday ([John 4:6](/john/4-6 "John 4:6 - Jesus at Jacob's Well")) suggests a marginalized status, perhaps due to her checkered past. The well itself was a significant landmark, a historical site associated with the patriarch Jacob ([Genesis 33:19](/genesis/33-19 "Genesis 33:19 - Jacob Bys Land at Shechem")), making it a natural gathering place and a symbol of life and sustenance in an arid land. The daily chore of drawing water was laborious and essential, highlighting the physical burden the woman wished to escape.
* **Key Themes:** [John 4:15](/john/4-15 "John 4:15 - The Samaritan Woman's Request for Physical Water") contributes to several overarching themes in the Gospel of John. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **misunderstanding spiritual truth**, as the woman's earthly perspective clashes with Jesus' heavenly revelation. This pattern is common in John, where characters often struggle to grasp Jesus' deeper meaning (e.g., Nicodemus in [John 3](/john/3 "John 3 - Nicodemus and Being Born Again") or the disciples regarding Jesus' death and resurrection). Secondly, it highlights the **contrast between human need and divine provision**, showing how Jesus meets people at the point of their physical longings but redirects them to their ultimate spiritual need. The woman desires an end to physical toil, while Jesus offers eternal rest. Thirdly, the interaction exemplifies Jesus' **patient and progressive revelation**, as He does not immediately condemn her misunderstanding but gently guides her towards a deeper truth, moving from her physical concerns to her spiritual condition, culminating in His self-revelation as the Messiah in [John 4:26](/john/4-26 "John 4:26 - Jesus Reveals Himself as Messiah").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **woman (Greek, _gynḗ'_):** (G1135) Refers to a female, often a wife. In this context, it emphasizes her gender and Samaritan identity, both of which were significant social barriers Jesus chose to transcend. Her identity as a "woman" at the well, particularly one with a history of multiple husbands ([John 4:18](/john/4-18 "John 4:18 - Jesus Reveals Her Past")), makes Jesus' engagement with her even more remarkable and culturally subversive.
* **give (Greek, _dídōmi'_):** (G1325) A versatile verb meaning "to give," "bestow," or "grant." Here, the woman uses it in a straightforward, literal sense, asking for a physical commodity. However, Jesus has just used the same verb to refer to the spiritual gift of "living water" ([John 4:10](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Jesus Offers Living Water")), creating a poignant contrast between her earthly request and His divine offer.
* **thirst (Greek, _dipsáō'_):** (G1372) To experience thirst, either literally or figuratively. The woman uses it literally, expressing her desire to avoid physical dehydration. Jesus, however, has used it figuratively to describe a spiritual longing that only His "living water" can satisfy permanently ([John 4:14](/john/4-14 "John 4:14 - The Promise of Never Thirsting Again")), highlighting the gulf between her immediate concern and His eternal solution.
* **draw (Greek, _antléō'_):** (G501) To draw water, typically from a well, with a bucket or vessel. This word encapsulates the daily, laborious task the woman wishes to escape. Her request is rooted in a desire for convenience and an end to physical exertion, demonstrating her focus on the temporal rather than the eternal implications of Jesus' words.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"The woman saith unto him, Sir,"**: The woman's address to Jesus as "Sir" (Greek: _kýrios_) indicates a growing respect, moving beyond her initial skepticism and challenge in [John 4:9](/john/4-9 "John 4:9 - The Woman's Question About Jewish-Samaritan Relations"). While still not fully grasping His identity, she acknowledges His authority or perhaps a sense of His unique nature, preparing the way for further revelation.
* **"give me this water,"**: This phrase directly reflects her literal interpretation of Jesus' "living water." She perceives it as a superior, perhaps magical, form of physical water that could alleviate her daily chore. Her request is practical and earthly, revealing her immediate focus on convenience and relief from physical labor rather than spiritual transformation.
* **"that I thirst not,"**: Her primary motivation is to avoid the sensation of thirst. This clause highlights her desire for a permanent solution to a recurring physical need, echoing Jesus' promise in [John 4:14](/john/4-14 "John 4:14 - The Promise of Never Thirsting Again") but understanding it in a purely physical sense. She seeks an end to a bodily discomfort.
* **"neither come hither to draw."**: This second motivation underscores her desire to be freed from the arduous daily task of coming to the well. Drawing water was a demanding chore, and her request expresses a longing for liberation from this physical burden, revealing her focus on earthly convenience and the alleviation of daily toil.

#### Literary Devices
The interaction in [John 4:15](/john/4-15 "John 4:15 - The Samaritan Woman's Request for Physical Water") is rich with **Irony**, as the woman's literal request for physical water stands in stark contrast to Jesus' offer of spiritual, eternal life-giving water. Her desire to avoid physical thirst and the chore of drawing water is a mundane aspiration compared to the profound spiritual freedom Jesus offers. This creates a dramatic tension that highlights the human tendency to focus on the immediate and tangible over the eternal and spiritual. The passage also exemplifies **Dialogue** as a central narrative technique, with the back-and-forth exchange between Jesus and the woman serving as the primary vehicle for theological instruction and character development. Through this **Dialogue**, Jesus patiently guides the woman from her literal understanding to a deeper spiritual truth. Furthermore, the concept of "water" itself functions as powerful **Symbolism**, representing both physical sustenance and, more profoundly, spiritual life and the Holy Spirit. The woman's words reveal her inability to move beyond the literal symbol to grasp its spiritual reality.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The woman's request in [John 4:15](/john/4-15 "John 4:15 - The Samaritan Woman's Request for Physical Water") serves as a powerful illustration of the human condition, often seeking temporal solutions for spiritual longings. She desires relief from physical thirst and daily toil, yet Jesus is offering a spiritual satisfaction that transcends all earthly needs. This highlights the theological truth that humanity's deepest needs are spiritual, not merely physical or material. It underscores the pervasive theme in Scripture that true satisfaction and lasting peace come only from God's divine provision, not from human effort or worldly comforts. The passage invites believers to examine their own desires, ensuring they are seeking the "living water" that truly quenches the soul's thirst, rather than settling for temporary, earthly solutions.

* [Isaiah 55:1](/isaiah/55-1 "Isaiah 55:1 - Invitation to Drink from God")
* [Jeremiah 2:13](/jeremiah/2-13 "Jeremiah 2:13 - Forsaking the Fountain of Living Waters")
* [Revelation 21:6](/revelation/21-6 "Revelation 21:6 - The Water of Life")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The Samaritan woman's request in [John 4:15](/john/4-15 "John 4:15 - The Samaritan Woman's Request for Physical Water") provides a profound mirror for our own lives. How often do we, like her, approach God with requests rooted in our immediate, physical, or temporal needs, missing the deeper spiritual provision He desires to give? We might pray for financial ease, relief from a difficult job, or solutions to relational conflicts, all valid concerns. Yet, Jesus' ultimate desire is to quench our spiritual thirst, to provide eternal life, and to transform our hearts. This verse challenges us to look beyond the superficial and to recognize that while God cares for our daily needs, His most precious gift is Himself – the "living water" that satisfies the soul's deepest longings. It encourages us to cultivate a spiritual perspective, seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, trusting that all other things will be added. It also reminds us of Jesus' patience and grace, meeting us where we are and gently guiding us towards a more profound understanding of His truth and His abundant provision.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life am I seeking a "physical" or "temporal" solution when Jesus is offering a "spiritual" or "eternal" one?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper spiritual thirst for Christ's "living water" rather than focusing solely on earthly comforts or conveniences?**
* **What "daily chores" or burdens do I wish to escape, and how might Jesus be inviting me to find spiritual rest in Him amidst those challenges?**

### FAQ
**Why did the woman ask for physical water when Jesus was talking about "living water"?**

Answer: The woman's request in [John 4:15](/john/4-15 "John 4:15 - The Samaritan Woman's Request for Physical Water") stems from her literal understanding of Jesus' words. In [John 4:10](/john/4-10 "John 4:10 - Jesus Offers Living Water"), Jesus offered "living water," a term that could refer to fresh, flowing spring water (literal) or, as Jesus intended, spiritual life. Given her context of daily toil and the physical need for water, she interpreted His offer through her earthly lens. She was focused on the practical benefit of never having to return to the well, not yet grasping the profound spiritual significance of His promise to quench the soul's deepest thirst. Her question highlights the common human tendency to interpret divine, spiritual realities through a purely physical or earthly understanding, a theme seen throughout the Gospel of John (e.g., Nicodemus's misunderstanding of being "born again" in [John 3:4](/john/3-4 "John 3:4 - Nicodemus's Question About Rebirth")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The Samaritan woman's request for water that would permanently quench her thirst and free her from daily toil, though literal, foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment found in Christ. Her desire for an end to physical thirst and labor points to a deeper human longing for ultimate satisfaction and rest, a longing that only Jesus can truly fulfill. He is the true "living water" ([John 7:37-38](/john/7-37-38 "John 7:37-38 - Jesus Cries Out About Living Water")) who, when received, becomes "a spring of water welling up to eternal life" ([John 4:14](/john/4-14 "John 4:14 - The Promise of Never Thirsting Again")). Through His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus bore the burden of sin and offers eternal rest from the futile works of the law and the endless striving for self-justification. He invites all who are weary and burdened to come to Him for true rest for their souls ([Matthew 11:28-30](/matthew/11-28-30 "Matthew 11:28-30 - Come to Me, All Who Are Weary")). The woman's yearning for an end to her physical "drawing" points to the reality that in Christ, we no longer need to labor for salvation, for He has accomplished it fully, freely offering the gift of eternal life to all who believe ([Ephesians 2:8-9](/ephesians/2-8-9 "Ephesians 2:8-9 - Salvation by Grace Through Faith")). He is the one who ultimately satisfies every spiritual longing, ensuring that those who drink of Him will never thirst again ([Revelation 21:6](/revelation/21-6 "Revelation 21:6 - The Water of Life")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

John 6:34

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

Romans 8:5

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

John 17:2

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

John 17:3

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God [is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalms 4:6

¶ [There be] many that say, Who will shew us [any] good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

John 6:26

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.