Jacob's Well in Wikipedia

Jacob's Well (also, Jacob's fountain and Well of Sychar) is a deep well hewn of solid rock that has been associated in religious tradition with Jacob for roughly two millennia. It is situated a short distance from the archaeological site of Tell Balata, which is thought to be the site of biblical Shechem.[1] Also commonly known as Bir Ya'qub or Bir Ya'kub (Arabic: بئر يعقوب‎, Bir="Well" and Ya'qub="Jacob"), the well currently lies within the complex of an Eastern Orthodox monastery of the same name, in the Palestinian city of Nablus in the West Bank.[2][3] Religious significance Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well Jewish, Samaritan, Christian, and Muslim traditions all associate the well with Jacob.[2] The well is not specifically mentioned in the Old Testament; the Book of Genesis (33:18f) states that when Jacob returned to Shechem from Paddan-aram, he camped "before" the city and bought the land on which he pitched his tent. Biblical scholars contend that plot of land is the same one upon which Jacob's Well was constructed.[2][3] Jacob's Well does appear by name in the New Testament's Book of John (4:5f), where it is recorded that Jesus "came to a city of Samaria, called Sychar, near the field which Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there."[2] The Book of John goes on to describe a conversation between Jesus and a Samaritan woman (called Photina in Orthodox tradition), that took place while Jesus was resting at the well.[4] [edit]History The writings of pilgrims indicate that Jacob's Well has been situated within different churches built at the same site over time.[2][3] By the 330s AD, the site had been identified as the place where Jesus held his conversation with the Samaritan woman, and was probably being used for Christian baptisms.[5] By AD 384, a cruciform church was built over the site, and is mentioned in the 4th century writings of Saint Jerome.[5][6] This church was most likely destroyed during the Samaritan revolts of 484 or 529.[5] Subsequently rebuilt by Justinian, this second Byzantine era church was still standing in the 720s, and possibly into the early 9th century.[5] Arabs at Jacob's Well, 1839, after a drawing by David Roberts The Byzantine church was definitely in ruins by the time the Crusaders occupied Nablus in August 1099; early 12th century accounts by pilgrims to the site speak of the well without mentioning a church.[5] There are later 12th century accounts of a newly built church at Jacob's Well. The first such definitive account comes from Theoderic, who writes: "The well ... is a half a mile distant from the city [Nablus]: it lies in front of the altar in the church built over it, in which nuns devote themselves to the service of God. This well is called the Fountain of Jacob."[5] This Crusader era church was constructed in 1175, likely due to the support of Queen Melisande, who was exiled to Nablus in 1152 where she lived until her death in 1161.[7] This church appears to have been destroyed following Saladin's victory over the Crusaders in the Battle of Hittin in 1187.[2][3]...