φρέαρ (phrear)
phrear
well/abyss
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun phrear denotes a well, specifically one that is dug into the earth rather than drawn from a surface source. In the Gospels, it appears in familiar narratives where water is physically scarce and deeply accessed, such as when Jesus speaks with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4:11-12) or when He asks if it is lawful to heal on the Sabbath by pulling an animal out of a pit (Luke 14:5). The word captures the image of a vertical shaft leading down to a hidden reservoir.
In Revelation, John uses this same term in a striking metaphorical way. He describes locusts emerging from the smoke of a bottomless pit, which he calls "the well of the abyss" (Revelation 9:1-2). This usage relies on the physical resemblance between a deep, narrow-walled cistern and the ancient conception of the underworld as an expanding void beneath the surface. The term bridges the mundane reality of digging for water with the theological imagery of chaos rising from below.
While its etymology remains uncertain, the word’s consistency in Scripture highlights its function as a marker of depth. Whether referring to the life-giving water of Jacob’s well or the destructive smoke of the abyss, phrear always points to something accessed by going down into the earth. Translators typically render it simply as "well" or "pit," preserving the sense of a deep, enclosed space.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word phrear describes a deep shaft dug into the earth to reach hidden water. In John’s Gospel, Jesus uses this image when speaking with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. She points out that the well is deep and they have no bucket, yet Jesus offers living water that never runs dry. This contrast shows how physical thirst meets spiritual satisfaction.
Similarly, in Luke, Jesus asks if it is lawful to pull an animal from a pit on the Sabbath. Here, the well represents a place of danger where rescue is needed urgently. The imagery reminds us that God cares for our deepest needs and our most difficult moments.
In Revelation, the same word describes the abyss, a place of chaos and smoke. This stark difference highlights the depth of human experience—from the life-giving water of faith to the darkness of spiritual struggle. Scripture invites us to trust in God’s presence in both depths.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- pit3×
- well,1×
- well1×
- pit.1×
- a pit1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- φρέαρ3×
- φρέατος2×
- φρέατος.1×
- φρέαρ,1×
Key Verses
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John 4:11
The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. So where do you get that living water?
The woman uses the word to highlight the physical difficulty of drawing water, setting up Jesus’ offer of spiritual life.
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Luke 14:5
He answered them, “Which of you, if your son or an ox fell into a well, wouldn’t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?”
Jesus references a well as a place of immediate need, using it to teach about mercy on the Sabbath.
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Revelation of John 9:2
He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit.
The term describes the source of smoke from the abyss, contrasting life-giving water with destructive chaos.