John 4:12
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Are you greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
American King James Version (AKJV)
Are you greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
American Standard Version (ASV)
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the fountain and took the water of it himself, with his children and his cattle?
Webster's Revision
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, and his children, and his cattle?
World English Bible
Are you greater than our father, Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, as did his children, and his livestock?"
English Revised Version (ERV)
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his sons, and his cattle?
Definitions for John 4:12
Clarke's John 4:12 Bible Commentary
Our father Jacob - The ancient Samaritans were undoubtedly the descendants of Jacob; for they were the ten tribes that revolted in the reign of Rehoboam: but those in our Lord's time were not genuine Israelites, but a corrupted race, sprung from a mixture of different nations, sent thither by Salmanezer, king of the Assyrians. See 2 Kings 17:24.
Barnes's John 4:12 Bible Commentary
Art thou greater? - Art thou wiser, or better able to find water, than Jacob was? It seems that she supposed that he meant that he could direct her to some living spring, or to some better well in that region, and that this implied more knowledge or skill than Jacob had. To find water and to furnish a good well was doubtless considered a matter of signal skill and success. It was a subject of great importance in that region. This shows how ready sinners are to misunderstand the words of Christ, and to pervert the doctrines of religion. If she had had any proper anxiety about her soul, she would at least have "suspected" that he meant to direct her thoughts to spiritual objects.
Our father Jacob - The Samaritans were composed partly of the remnant of the ten tribes, and partly of people sent from Chaldea; still, they considered themselves descendants of Jacob.
Which gave us - This was doubtless the tradition, though there is no evidence that it was true.
And drank thereof ... - This was added in commendation of the water of the well. A well from which Jacob, and his sons, and cattle had drank must be pure, and wholesome, and honored, and quite as valuable as any that Jesus could furnish. People like to commend that which their ancestors used as superior to anything else. The world over, people love to speak of that which their ancestors have done, and boast of titles and honors that have been handed down from them, even if it is nothing better than existed here - because Jacob's cattle had drunk of the water.
Wesley's John 4:12 Bible Commentary
4:12 Our father Jacob - So they fancied he was; whereas theywere, in truth, a mixture of many nations, placed there by the king of Assyria, in the room of the Israelites whom he had carried away captive, 17:24 .Who gave us the well - In Joseph their supposed forefather: and drank thereof - So even he had no better water than this.
