Overview
The Bible addresses wells across 53 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Numbers and John. Closely related themes include Servants, Afflictions and Adversities, Jacob and Woman. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Abraham, Isaac, David and Moses.
Key Bible verses about wells
Old Testament
Genesis
Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. Beerlahairoi: that is, The well of him that liveth and seeth me
And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them. Beersheba: that is, The well of the oath
And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. that: Heb. that women who draw water go forth
Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water:
And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. very: Heb. good of countenance
And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go:
For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.
And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. Esek: that is, Contention
And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. Sitnah: that is, Hatred
And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. Rehoboth: that is Room
And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: branches: Heb. daughters
Exodus
Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. priest: or, prince
And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
Numbers
Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.
And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet.
And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.
Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: Spring: Heb. Ascend sing: or, answer
The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:
2 Samuel
Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
2 Kings
And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. mar: Heb. grieve
And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. only in: Heb. until he left its stones in Kirharaseth
1 Chronicles
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!
And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,
Proverbs
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.
The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
New Testament
John
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
People in the Bible and wells
Biblical figures whose stories intersect with this theme.
In the Bible dictionary
Studying wells for yourself
- Begin with Genesis 16:14, then read the passages below in canonical order.
- Compare how Genesis, Numbers and John each treat the theme.
- Consider the lives of Abraham, Isaac and David and how their stories intersect with it.
- Widen the study to related themes: Servants, Afflictions and Adversities, Jacob and Woman.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Bible say about wells?
The Bible addresses wells across 53 verses, drawn from both the Old and New Testaments. These passages cluster most in Genesis, Numbers and John. Closely related themes include Servants, Afflictions and Adversities, Jacob and Woman. Figures whose stories touch this theme include Abraham, Isaac, David and Moses.
How many Bible verses are about wells?
The Bible references wells in 53 verses (King James Version).
Where does the Bible first mention wells?
In canonical order, the first of these passages is Genesis 16:14: “Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. Beerlahairoi: that is, The well of him that liveth and seeth me”
Which people in the Bible are associated with wells?
Abraham, Isaac, David, Moses and Jesus.
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