Jesus Met the Woman at the Well

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Jesus Met the Woman at the Well

Jesus Met the Woman at the Well is a traditional gospel song about the Bible story of Jesus speaking with a Samaritan woman at a well, found in John 4:4–26. Because it’s a traditional tune, there are many versions.

Early recordings include The Pilgrim Travelers in 1950, listed as Traditional and arranged by J. W. Alexander. Another well-known version is by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in 1986, listed as Traditional and arranged by The Alabama Singers. Some sources say The Pilgrim Travelers and The Alabama Singers may be the same group. The song is also sometimes credited to Reverend Gary Davis.

Lyrics vary, but typical versions describe Jesus meeting the woman and telling her about her life. He asks about her husband; she says she has no husband, and he reveals she has had five husbands and that the man she is with now is not her husband. She concludes that he must be a prophet. The refrain repeats that Jesus met the woman at the well and told her everything she had done.

Many artists have recorded the song, reflecting its status as a traditional gospel piece with many different versions of the lyrics.