Pronunciation Guide: ant’-lay-mah
Basic Definition
Strong’s G502: ἄντλημα (antlema) refers to a vessel used for drawing water, specifically a bucket or container attached to a rope for retrieving water from a well or cistern. In biblical context, it represents both the physical tool for accessing life-sustaining water and serves as a powerful metaphor for accessing spiritual truth and salvation.
Etymology and Morphology
- Noun (neuter)
- Derived from ἀντλέω (antleō) meaning “to draw out” or “bail out water”
- Used primarily in narrative sections
- Classical Greek origin
- Found in maritime and agricultural contexts
ἄντλημα Morphology:
- ἄντλημα (nominative singular) – a vessel for drawing water
- ἀντλήματος (genitive singular) – of a vessel for drawing water
- ἀντλήματι (dative singular) – with/by a vessel for drawing water
- ἄντλημα (accusative singular) – a vessel for drawing water
Origin & History
The term ἄντλημα emerges from ancient Greek maritime vocabulary, where it originally referred to the bilge water in ships and the tools used to bail out this water. Xenophon uses the related verb ἀντλέω in his “Oeconomicus” when discussing ship maintenance. The term eventually broadened to include any vessel used for drawing water, particularly from wells.
In the Hellenistic period, the word became commonly associated with water-drawing equipment used in agricultural and domestic settings. The historian Polybius mentions similar water-drawing devices in his descriptions of ancient Mediterranean life, though he uses the related term ἀντλητήρ.
Expanded Definitions & Translation Options
- A vessel or bucket specifically designed for drawing water from deep wells
- Any container used in the process of water collection
- A specialized tool for accessing deep water sources
ἄντλημα Translation Options:
- Water pot – emphasizes the container aspect but may miss the specialized nature
- Well bucket – captures both the tool’s purpose and setting
- Drawing vessel – highlights its active function in water retrieval
- Water-drawing implement – most technically precise but less readable
Biblical Usage
The word ἄντλημα appears only once in the New Testament, in John 4:11, during the profound conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Its singular usage makes it particularly significant, as it becomes a pivotal element in Jesus’ teaching about living water and eternal life.
The Septuagint uses the related verb ἀντλέω in several instances, particularly in narratives involving wells and water drawing, such as the story of Rebecca in Genesis. This connection helps establish the word’s place in the broader biblical narrative of water as both physical necessity and spiritual metaphor.
- “The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, You have nothing to draw with [ἄντλημα] and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water?’” John 4:11
Cultural Insights
In ancient Middle Eastern culture, the well was a crucial gathering place for community life, and the ἄντλημα was an essential daily tool. Wells could be extremely deep – the traditional site of Jacob’s Well, where Jesus met the Samaritan woman, is about 135 feet deep. This depth made a reliable water-drawing vessel absolutely essential for survival.
The weight and design of ancient water-drawing vessels were carefully considered. Archaeological findings from the first century show that these implements were often made of leather or pottery with rope attachments, designed to be both durable and efficient at bringing up water from great depths.
Theological Significance
The appearance of ἄντλημα in John 4:11 serves as a powerful theological turning point. The Samaritan woman’s focus on the physical vessel highlights the human tendency to focus on material means of obtaining what we need, while Jesus redirects her attention to spiritual realities and the true source of living water.
This interaction beautifully illustrates how God often uses ordinary objects and daily circumstances to reveal profound spiritual truths. The contrast between the physical ἄντλημα and Jesus’ offer of living water emphasizes the vast difference between temporary physical solutions and eternal spiritual provision.
Personal Application
When we encounter the ἄντλημα in Scripture, we’re invited to examine our own “vessels” – the methods and means by which we seek to satisfy our deepest thirsts. Just as the Samaritan woman needed to look beyond her water pot to see the true source of living water, we too must look beyond our physical tools and human efforts to recognize Jesus as the source of all we truly need.
Like the deep well that required a special vessel to access its water, the depths of God’s truth and presence might seem beyond our reach. However, Jesus invites us to come directly to Him, bypassing the need for any intermediate tools or vessels.
Related Words
- ὑδρία (hydria) – water jar, water pot; used more generally for water storage (pronunciation: hoo-dree’-ah) See G5201
- φρέαρ (phrear) – well, pit; refers to the actual well structure (pronunciation: freh’-ar) See G5421
- πηγή (pege) – spring, fountain; natural source of water (pronunciation: pay-gay’) See G4077
- ἀντλέω (antleō) – to draw water; the verb form related to antlema (pronunciation: ant-leh’-o) See G501
Did you Know?
- The traditional site of Jacob’s Well, where the ἄντλημα is mentioned, still exists today in modern-day Nablus, and visitors can still draw water from it using similar methods to those used in Jesus’ time.
- Archaeological discoveries have shown that ancient water-drawing vessels were often marked with the owner’s name or symbol, indicating their value as personal property and their importance in daily life.
- The depth of many ancient wells meant that the ἄντλημα had to be engineered with precise specifications – too light and it wouldn’t break the water’s surface tension, too heavy and it would be impossible to draw up manually.
Remember This
The ἄντλημα draws our attention to the profound truth that while we may depend on physical tools to sustain physical life, our spiritual thirst can only be quenched by direct access to the Messiah, our eternal spring of living water.
