In the fifteenth chapter of Exodus, following the miracle at the sea, Israel ventures on to Elim, “where there we twelve wells of water and seventy palms trees, and they camped there by the water” (15:27). Coincidentally, their first stop following their deliverance was at a place called Marah. We read that “Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. (That is why its name is Marah)” (15:23). The Lord, through Moses, does intervene, making the water safe to drink. However, it is not until they reach Elim, the place of twelve wells (reminding us of twelve tribes), following the miraculous crossing and defeat of their pursuers, that they are said to have made camp.
In the book of Numbers, we find an interesting mention of a well. As it is connected to Moses and to a song, while also occurring during their long exodus experience, we can imagine this account having a special place within Israelite memory. Reading, we see that “they traveled to Beer; that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Gather the people and I will give them water.’ Then Israel sang this song: ‘Spring up, O well, sing to it! The well which the princes dug, which the leaders of the people opened with their scepters and their staffs.’” (21:16-18a) Fresh on the heels of the song about the well, “Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying, ‘Let us pass through your land; we will not turn aside into the fields or into the vineyards, nor will we drink water from any well, but we will go along the King’s Highway until we pass your borders.’” (21:21-22) This request was rebuffed. Not only was there a refusal, but “he gathered all his forces together and went out against Israel in the wilderness” (21:23b). In consequence, “the Israelites defeated him in battle and took possession of his land” (21:24a). We can be assured that Israel then drank from their wells and turned aside into the fields and vineyards.
Is there any way that this well-story could come into play when we look at the well-story of the Gospel of John? Certainly, otherwise why ask the question? How does that story begin? Jesus had “left Judea and set out once more for Galilee. But He had to pass through Samaria” (4:3-4). Now, Jesus could have avoided going through Samaria, taking a different route on His return trip to Galilee, but this was the route that He chose. Similarly, Israel could have taken a number of routes towards the promised land, but they did not. As they chose a route that was going to take them through the land of the Amorites, so Jesus chose a route that would take Him through Samaria. On another level, it would certainly not be a reach to consider the idea that the author of John believed that any road being traveled by Jesus would be the “King’s Highway.”
As we continue to lay the conceptual foundation for the collective consciousness concerning wells, we can quickly trace all remaining mentions of wells within what are considered to be the historical books of Israel. In the second book of Samuel, there is a mention that is probably not a helpful or useful mention of a well, at least on the surface. Nevertheless, it occurs during the time period following the death of King Saul, as David is solidifying his royal position, so perhaps others can find related value in its mention. To that end, we read “Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner” (3:26a). Joab is the commander of David’s forces, and Abner is the commander of the forces of Saul, and temporarily Ishbosheth, the son of Saul. “They brought him back from the well of Sirah. (But David was not aware of it.) When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside at the gate as if to speak privately with him. Joab then stabbed him in the abdomen and killed him” (3:26b-27a). Later in the same book, during the time of Absalom’s temporarily successful taking of the throne of Israel, there is a story concerning two spies that David had in his employ. This seems to be as useful as the event just presented, but we dutifully present the record and find that “Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying in En Rogel. A female servant would go and inform them, and they would then go and inform King David. It was not advisable for them to be seen going into the city. But a young man saw them on one occasion and informed Absalom. So the two of them quickly departed and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. There was a well in his courtyard, and they got down in it” (17:17-18).
Finally, in the book of Nehemiah, in a section that mentions wells as part of a prayerful praise that recounted Israel’s history, beginning with the Genesis account of creation, in a manner which undergirds the purpose of this story by demonstrating a mention of wells in a general recapitulation of the exodus narrative, we hear Nehemiah say “They captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took possession of houses full of all sorts of good things---wells previously dug, vineyards, olive trees, and fruit trees in abundance. They enjoyed to the full your great goodness” (9:25).
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