John 4:6
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.
John 4:6: "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."
This verse adds physical detail to the scene: Jesus is tired from travel and sits by Jacob’s well at around noon (the sixth hour in Jewish time). The mundane detail of weariness humanizes Jesus and makes him approachable. The setting at Jacob’s well reinforces the themes of covenant memory and living water to come. It situates a divine encounter within a human resting moment, highlighting that God’s purposes often emerge in ordinary experiences when people are attentive. The hour of day, noon, is significant culturally; heat and fatigue would make the encounter with a thirsty person (and later with a woman who comes to fetch water) more poignant. The verse also sets up the dialogue that follows, where Jesus speaks of living water and true worship, using the setting to illuminate spiritual thirst and fulfillment.
This verse emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and the incarnation: fatigue, longing, and a need for rest. Yet in that moment of physical weakness, divine purpose is fulfilled as he engages the Samaritan woman. It also anchors the theme of water as a symbol for life and sustenance that only Jesus can provide—the living water. The setting at Jacob’s well links the old covenant promises with the new covenant’s grace. The sixth hour becoming a moment of revelation underlines that God’s kingdom often breaks into ordinary life in unexpected ways.
You can relate: there are times you’re tired, worn out, or in need of refreshment. In those moments, invitations to meaningful conversations and spiritual insight can appear. Be attentive to God’s promptings when you’re weary—like Jesus resting and still stepping into dialogue that leads to transformation. In practical terms, when you’re exhausted, consider stopping to listen to someone who might be seeking meaning, just as the Samaritan woman meets Jesus at a well. Use ordinary moments to share hope, invite questions, or offer a simple act of kindness that points to the living water in Christ. The takeaway: fatigue does not disqualify you from being a conduit of God’s grace.
Cross-References: John 7:37–39; Isaiah 55:1–3; Jeremiah 2:13; Revelation 21:6