Well


The Lord sees Hagar

Hagar fled to the wilderness from her harsh mistress Sarai when pregnant with Ishmael. The angel of the Lord saw her there by a spring of water on the way to Shur and blessed her. In response, she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

The well was called Beer-lahai-roi, and it lies between Kadesh and Bered.

(Genesis 16)

God's provision for Ishmael

After Hagar and Ishmael were cast out from Abraham's house, they began to ran out of water. Hagar set the child under a bush, went about a bowshot's distance away, and wept, saying, "Let me not look on the death of the child." God heard Ishmael's voice, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, saying, "What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation." God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She refilled her skin and gave the boy a drink.

(Genesis 21)

Abraham and Abimelech's covenant

Abimelech and Phicol acknowledged that God was with Abraham and asked him to return their kindness to him and his descendants, and he swore to it. When Abraham reproved Abimelech about the well his servants seized, Abimelech claimed ignorance. Abraham gave him sheep and oxen and made a covenant, setting 7 ewe lambs apart as witness that he dug this well. The place was called Beersheba. Abimelech and Phicol returned to Philistia, and Abraham planted a tamarisk tree and called on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.

(Genesis 21)

Jonathan and Ahimaaz hide in a well in Bahurim while performing spy activities during Absalom's rebellion

Hushai sent word to King David from Absalom's court via the priests, telling him how to flee Absalom. The priests' sons, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, waited at En-rogel and were sent word by a female servant, but a young man saw their activity anyway and reported it to Absalom. The men fled and hid in a man's well at Bahurim, and the woman covered the well and scattered grain over it to conceal it. She told Absalom's men when they came searching that they had gone over the brook of water. When they gave up the search, the men were able to continue on to David. (2 Samuel 17)