Barnes New Testament Notes

Verse 10. The gift of God. The word gift, here denotes favour. It may refer to Jesus himself, as the gift of God to the world, given to save men from death Joh 3:16; 2 Co 9:15 or it may refer to the opportunity then afforded her of seeking salvation. If thou knewest how favourable an opportunity God now gives thee to gain a knowledge of himself, &c. And who it is, &c. If thou knewest that the Messiah was speaking.

Living water. The Jews used the expression living water to denote springs, fountains, or running streams, in opposition to dead and stagnant water. Jesus here means to denote by it his doctrine, or his grace and religion, in opposition to the impure and dead notions of the Jews and the Samaritans. Joh 4:14. This was one of the many instances in which he took occasion from common topics of conversation to introduce religious discourse. None ever did it so happily as he did, but, by studying his example and manner, we may learn also to do it. One way to acquire the art is to have the mind full of the subject; to make religion our first and main thing; to carry it with us into all employments and into all society; to look upon everything in a religious light, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth will speak, Mt 12:34.

{e} "the gift of God" Eph 2:8 {f} "living water" Isa 12:3; 41:17,18; Jer 2:13; Zec 13:1; 14:8; Re 22:17