Siloam

It is not possible to overestimate the importance of the Gihon spring and pool to the city of Jerusalem. Although, because of its position in the valley, the Jebusites could not include the spring in the walls of the fort which they built on the hill of Ophel, the site of the citadel was chosen because it was the only position in the neighhourhood which had access to an unceasing supply of water. As we saw when we considered the method by which David captured the city, they were sufficiently skilful engineers to bring the water inside the walls by means of the tunnel and shaft now called Warren’s shaft.1 This expedient, however, was not altogether satisfactory. Although, when the spring overflowed, the tunnel and shaft were filled, they did not afford sufficient outlet for the rushing water. The pool itself overflowed and ran down the Valley to form the brook Kidron.

From time to time, attempts were made to deal with this overflow. At an unknown date a conduit was cut from Gihon to the old pool of Siloam, now called the Birketel-Hamra, or the Red Pool. This pool was known in ancient times as the lower pool. It is mentioned in Isaiah 22:9 where Hezekiah is said to have gathered together the waters of the lower pool. It must have been in existence, therefore, before that monarch’s time, though whether it dates back to Jebusite times, or to the reign of David, or to a period not much earlier than Hezekiah’s age, cannot be determined since it has no inscription. It seems likely that this aqueduct was referred to by Isaiah when he wrote, “Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly . . . Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah.”2 The word Shiloah means “tunnel” or “conduit,” and the statement that its waters go softly is clearly a reference to the gentle flow of water through an aqueduct or artificial channel. There was a reference in the previous chapter3 to the conduit of the upper pool—probably the pool of Gihon, and in this case relating to the reign of Ahaz, the father of Hezekiah.

Gihon is described in three places as the upper pool: the first is the one just quoted from the time of Ahaz; the other two refer to the negotiations between Hezekiah and Sennacherib’s Assyrian messengers, who are said to have stood by the upper pool.4

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Author: F. E. Mitchell

Keywords: Siloam, Pool of Siloam, Warren's shaft, Gihon, Gihon spring, Kidron brook, Jerusalem water supply, Waters of Shiloah, King's pool, Upper water course of Gihon

Bible reference(s): 2 Kings 18:17, 2 Kings 20:20, 2 Chron. 32:30, Neh. 2:14, Isaiah 22:11, 2 Chron. 32:2-4, Jer. 41:1, Isaiah 12:3, Isaiah 22:9, Isaiah 8:6-8, Isaiah 7:3, Isaiah 36:2, Luke 13:4

Source: “Jerusalem in Old Testament Times: Siloam,” The Testimony, Vol. 22, No. 260, August 1952, pp. 246-8.

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