Seven Wells Mentioned In Genesis, Wells Of Living Water

Seven Wells Mentioned In Genesis, Wells Of Living Water

Wells of living water are a running theme throughout the Scriptures, and picture the salvation we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Some key verses about them are:

Isaiah 12:2-3 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

John 4:12-14 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 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. 

There are seven specific wells mentioned in Genesis:

1) Genesis 16:14, Beerlahairoi - where Hagar met God (means "The well of Him that liveth and seeth me."

Genesis 16:14 Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

2) Genesis 21:19, 30-31, Beersheba - where God helped Hagar and Ishmael, and Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech (means "The well of the oath")

Genesis 21:19, 30-31 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 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 Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.

3) Genesis 24:11 - where Abraham’s servant met Rebekah

Genesis 24:11 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. 

4) Genesis 26:20, Esek - dug by Isaac (means "Contention")

Genesis 26:20 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. 

5) Genesis 26:21, Sitnah - dug by Isaac (means "Opposition")

Genesis 26:21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. 

6) Genesis 26:22, Rehoboth - dug by Isaac (means "Room" or "Extension of the people")

Genesis 26:22 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. 

7) Genesis 29:2, Jacob’s well - where Jacob met Rachel (See John 4:6)

Genesis 29:2 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.

The terms “running water” and “living water(s)” are used seven times each in the Bible:

Running water - referring to physical water that is flowing, moving:

A. Leviticus 14:5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:

B. Leviticus 14:6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

C. Leviticus 14:50 And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water:

D. Leviticus 14:51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:

E. Leviticus 14:52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:

F. Leviticus 15:13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

G. Numbers 19:17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel:

Living water(s) - primarily referring to spiritual water (Zechariah 14:8 is physical):

A. Song of Solomon 4:15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

B. Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

C. Jeremiah 17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

D. Zechariah 14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

E. 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.

F. John 4:11 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?

G. John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 

Jerry Bouey

Running seven count: 78