There comes a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus said to her, Give me to drink.
Give.
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
John 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
Genesis 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink;
Jesus said to her
Jesus initiates the conversation, breaking social norms. Jewish men typically did not speak publicly with women, especially Samaritan women, due to deep-seated animosities and religious differences. This action demonstrates Jesus' disregard for societal barriers and His mission to reach all people, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in the Gospel.
“Give Me a drink.”
This request is significant as it shows Jesus' humanity and willingness to engage with those considered outsiders. It also sets the stage for a deeper spiritual conversation about "living water," symbolizing eternal life and the Holy Spirit. This phrase echoes the humility and servanthood of Christ, who, though divine, asks for help from a Samaritan woman, illustrating His approachability and the breaking down of ethnic and gender barriers.
• The event unfolds at the precise moment Jesus is resting by Jacob’s well (John 4:6). God’s timing is never accidental (Romans 5:6; Galatians 4:4).
• Mid-day heat meant most avoided drawing water then, so this moment underscores divine appointment rather than coincidence (Psalm 37:23).
• Samaritans were despised by Jews (John 4:9), yet Jesus deliberately reaches across ethnic and religious barriers (Luke 10:33; Acts 1:8).
• Her gender and social standing did not hinder the Lord; His ministry consistently elevated the overlooked (John 8:10-11; Galatians 3:28).
• A routine task becomes a life-changing encounter, echoing earlier well meetings where God advanced His purposes (Genesis 24:11; Exodus 2:16-17).
• Physical thirst pictures the deeper spiritual thirst every soul carries (Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 42:1-2).
• The Savior initiates the conversation, demonstrating that salvation begins with God’s approach to us (Luke 19:10; John 6:44).
• Personal address shows individual value; He knows her story before she speaks (Psalm 139:1-4; Revelation 3:20).
• Jesus, truly human, expresses real physical need (John 19:28; Hebrews 4:15).
• His request disarms prejudice, inviting her participation and opening the door to reveal Himself as the giver of “living water” (John 4:10, 14; 7:37-38).
• By asking, He models humble service: the One who created water (Colossians 1:16) voluntarily places Himself in need, foreshadowing the cross where He would thirst so we could be satisfied forever (Psalm 22:15; 2 Corinthians 8:9).
John 4:7 captures the intentional, barrier-breaking love of Christ. In a simple plea for water, Jesus orchestrates a divine appointment, revealing His humanity, His initiative in salvation, and His offer to quench the deepest thirst of every heart.
(7) Of Samaria--i.e., of the country (John 4:1), not of the city, which was nine miles farther north. She was of the people inhabiting the valley between Ebal and Gerizim, not, like Himself, a chance passenger by the well. The contrast is at once drawn between Him, a Jew and a man, and her, of Samaria and a woman.Give me to drink is the almost always asked and almost never refused favour as the traveller meets the native by the well-side. He was wearied by the heat of the journey, and seeks the ordinary refreshment.
Verses 7-26. -(2) The revelations and misunderstandings comprised in the interview with the Samaritaness. Verses 7-9. -
(a) The Giver of all asks alms, submitting to conditions of humanity. Verse 7. - There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water. The ἐκ τῆς Σαμαρείας undoubtedly qualifies the word γυνή, and not ἔρχεται; therefore the country, not the city, of Samaria is referred to. Besides, that city was at much too great a distance to be the home of this Samaritaness. There were other springs still nearer to the city of Sychar, which the women of the place would frequent. We need not, with Hengstenberg, suppose that, from a religious motive, one of reverence for the well of Jacob, this woman had chosen the longer walk and greater exertion, in the heat of the day. No hint of the kind occurs. The simple supposition that her home was hard by the well is sufficient to explain the somewhat unusual circumstance that she should have come alone and at midday. No longer, as in ancient times, did women of social position perform this duty (Genesis 24:15; Exodus 2:16). She by her action proclaimed her humble station in life. Hard work is performed by women at the present day in the East and South. Jesus saith to her, Give me to drink. This form of expression is not uncommon. The Lord was not only weary, but veritably thirsty. He had taken upon himself all our innocent desires and cravings. "He would know all, that he might succour all," and was intent upon conferring a blessing by asking a favour. He put it into her power to do him a kindness, just as when God evermore says, "Give me thy heart," when he is yearning to give himself to us. "It is more blessed to give than to receive." He will at once confer on this poor "waif and stray" the unspeakable privilege of bestowing the cup of cold water on the Lord of all. It is not that in the first instant he implied that he was thirsting for her salvation; that interpretation would almost lift the narrative into the purely symbolic region, greatly to its injury, and to the damage of the entire Gospel.
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