WELL. Since the rains in Pal. are concentrated in the winter months, water is a problem through much of the year. Natural sources are springs, streams, rivers and the Sea of Galilee. Artificial sources are wells and cisterns. The latter were a problem until after the discovery of waterproof plaster shortly before the Exodus.

The usual Heb. word for a spring which bubbles up out of the ground is עַ֫יִנ֒, H6524. The word for a well which was dug to reach the underground water table was בְּאֵר֒, H931. Sometimes the terms were used interchangeably so one must watch the context for the exact meaning.

The usual Gr. word for a spring which provides a constant flow of water is πηγή, G4380, (James 3:11). The term for the shaft constructed to reach the underground water table is φρέαρ, G5853, (John 4:11). Again the terms are too often used interchangeably.

The ownership of wells was so important that feuds over them were settled at times only by a unique covenant service as with Abraham and Abimelech (Gen 21:25ff.). This value placed upon wells was in part due to the expense of digging them. Rivals would fight over a well rather than dig a second one. Notice that in Deuteronomy 6:11 wells are listed with other costly items, such as olive groves and vineyards, both of which are very slow growing. The value of wells is seen also in the fact that some bore specific names (Gen 26:20-22). Cities, in turn, were sometimes known by their wells such as Beer-sheba.

Wells were of special concern in warfare. The ancients normally went to war in the summer, for then they could live off the crops of their enemies. Summer was also the season when there was the least water available. Therefore the defenders would stop up their wells with stones and then cover them over with soil so the enemy could not use them. Hezekiah had the Siloam tunnel dug to deprive the Assyrians of a water supply at Jerusalem. If special vengeance was handed out to an enemy his wells were destroyed (2 Kings 3:25). See Cistern.