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Pool Of Siloam

Prior to 2004, it was thought that the Pool of Siloam was at the exit of Hezekiah’s Tunnel, which is pictured above and also below, on the left (for mobile phone users, the picture is above and the first picture below). In 2004, when repairs were being done in a parking lot, some stairs were uncovered. These stairs were very wide and reminded the archaeologist of the stairs that go up to the Temple Mount, near Robinson’s Arch. These seemed to go down into what might be a pool, a much larger pool than the one they first thought to be the Pool of Siloam. The newly discovered pool is less than 0.12 miles from another Pool of Siloam. They expanded their search area and discovered a wide staircase going from the pool area up through the City of David and up to Robinson’s Arch and the Temple Mount.

In 2004, an archaeologist excavated and identified the correct location of the Pool of Siloam, which is pictured on the right below (or the second picture from the mobile phone user). Its location now belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church.

The original Pool of Siloam was built in the 8th century BCE by King Hezekiah. To cut off the water supply of Gihon Spring because of the coming Assyrians’ attack, King Hezekiah ordered workers to build a 1,750-foot-long tunnel—the Hezekiah’s Tunnel. The tunnel connected Gihon Spring in the adjacent Kidron Valley to the southern part of the City of David.

The original Pool of Siloam in Hezekiah’s time was presumably destroyed in 586 B.C. when the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city. Then, the pool of Siloam in Jesus’ time was built early in the first century B.C. and was destroyed by the Roman emperor Titus about A.D. 70.

Byzantine Time

This is the exit of Hezekiah’s Tunnel (the wet route). The structure around the exit to the tunnel and the small pool were built in the 5th century by Queen Eudocia. For many years, it was thought to be the Pool of Siloam. It is now referred to by some people as the Pool of Silwan. For more information, please click the below link to watch the live tour.

The real Pool of Shelah/siloam

In 2004, an archaeologist found the correct site of the Pool of Shelah/Siloam. This is at the exit of the Canaanite Tunnel (the dry route).

According to the Biblical Archaeology Review on 8/31/2021, the pool is fed by waters from the Gihon Spring, located in the Kidron Valley. The purposes of this pool might be for ritual bathing or as a water source for inhabitants, or it might be a Roman-style swimming pool.

The photo was contributed by Dr. Rasmussen.

In the Tanakh, Nehemiah 3:15: “And Shallum son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he rebuilt it and covered it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David.”

Northern View Of the Pool Of Siloam

A supernatural occurrence was recorded here in the 1st century CE. There was a man, blind from birth, who was healed by a miracle. See the box on the right (or picture below for the mobile phone user).

The photo was contributed by Dr. Rasmussen.

Northern View of the Pool of Siloam

In the New Covenant, John 9:1-11 “¹ As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” ³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. ⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, ⁷ saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. ⁸ The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” ¹⁰ But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.”

the pilgrimage road in Ancient times

It is great news that the Pilgrimage Road has been opened recently to the public! King Herod built streets from local stones, and some of them led to the temple. The Pilgrimage Road connected the Pool of Siloam to the south side of the temple. It gets its name from the many pilgrims who have walked along this street during the three major Jewish holidays.

Deut 16:16 “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God at the place that he will choose: at the festival of unleavened bread, at the festival of weeks, and at the festival of booths. They shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed.

Inside View of the Pilgrimage Road

This stone street is approximately 350 meters long, and it was wide enough for tens of thousands of pilgrims who came to Jerusalem during the Jewish festivals. You can click the link below to see the live tour.

Exit of the Drainage Channel underneath the Pilgrimage road

Underneath the “Pilgrimage Road’ is an underground drainage channel. When you walk all the way up to the exit, it is the area adjacent to the southern side of the temple. Today it is known as Robinson’s Arch of the Western Wall. For more information, please click the below link to watch the live tour.

Map

This drawing helps you see how the Pilgrimage Road went from the Pool of Siloam all the way up to Robinson’s Arch (the white dotted line). And the arch had steps that went up onto the Temple Mount. So a pilgrim could wash in the pool and go directly to the temple on the mountain. Take note that this drawing has the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Mount, although they were not built until 691 CE, long after the 2nd temple was destroyed and the Pilgrimage Road was covered up in 70 CE.