The Gihon Spring is not a constant source of water, it flows occasionally not continually. It is thought that its name comes from the Hebrew word meaning ‘to gush forth’. The spring emerges in a cave 20 ft by 7 and it has recently been discovered that the earliest buildings in Jerusalem were found here beside the spring around 4500-3500 BC.
Not only was this a source of drinking water for the ancient settlement but it was also used, via terraces to irrigate the gardens in the close by Kidron Valley where food was grown. Terracing allowed the water to flow in such a way as to irrigate much of the side of the hill leading down the valley. In Scripture, this watered terrace is referred to as the ‘King’s Garden’ (see II Kings 25:4; Jeremiah 52:7; Nehemiah 3:15).
Originally, the spring would flow three to five times daily in winter, twice daily in summer, and only once daily in autumn, which meant that it was necessary to create a pool to store water so that it would always be available to the inhabitants. Originally a fairly straight channel (The Siloam Channel) was made (around 2100–1550 BC in the time of Melchizedek and Abraham) about 20ft into the ground and covered with slabs leading to the Upper Pool of Siloam.
These underground channels were added to over the subsequent years including the Warren’s Shaft system which led from the Well gate above Gihon down to the spring. This enabled people to collect water from the spring. In the Iron Age (1200 BC – 550 BC) a winding tunnel was carved into the rock leading from the Spring to the Pool of Siloam (perhaps during the reign of Hezekiah (739 - 687 BC).
2 Chronicles 32:30
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works.
This effectively replaced the Middle Bronze Age channel and was likely done in preparation for the Assyrians who were about to besiege the city. Having a source of water outside the city walls but accessible from inside was a powerful protection for the city of Jerusalem. However, King David had earlier used some of these underground shafts to capture Jerusalem in 1004BC and this is mentioned in,
2 Samuel 5:6-10
Whoever would strike the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack….
Later David’s son Solomon would be crowned King at the Gihon Spring,
1 Kings 1:32-34
Take with you all the servants of your lord, and let them make Solomon my son ride on my mule, and bring him down to Gihon. Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Blow on the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!
So obviously, the spring has long played a major role in not only the founding of Jerusalem but also in its development.
King Solomon would go on to build the first Temple in 960 BC. This would be destroyed in 580 BC by the Babylonians and 22,000 Jews would be sent into exile. In fact, the population was reduced to 1/10 of what it was before.
The second Temple was built and then consecrated in 515 BC 20 years after the Jews had returned from exile. This Temple lacked the Ark of the Covenant as this as well as other holy items had been lost. King Hezekiah is the last biblical figure to have seen the Ark. The Fall of the Second Temple was predicted by Jesus,
Mark 13
As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!”
“Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
Jesus Christ was crucified around 30/33 AD and The Second Temple was completely destroyed forty years later in 70 AD by the Romans. During its long and fascinating history, Jerusalem has been destroyed twice, besieged 23 times, attacked 52 times, and captured and recaptured 44 times.
In 2004 a burst sewage main in the Arab neighbourhood of Silan allowed the uncovering of the original Jewish pilgrim path running from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount, Judaism’s most Holy spot.
In 2023, the stepped remains of the ancient Siloam Pool, long thought to be located elsewhere, were uncovered near the City of David. According to the Gospel of John, it was at this sacred Christian site that Jesus healed the blind man.
John 9:1-12
He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”.
Ancient pilgrims would ritually immerse themselves in the pool of Siloam in order to be cleansed for their climb up north to Jerusalem’s temple. Following more excavations, a largely intact ancient stone road was identified, extending from Siloam up to the area of what is known today as Robinson’s Arch, a partially surviving entrance to the southwestern corner of the ancient temple platform. The Pilgrim’s Road is approximately 2,000 old and is in all likelihood the path that Jesus and his disciples would have taken to ascend to the temple of Jerusalem. It is thrilling to see this underground route and it allows future pilgrims to follow in their footsteps on this recently discovered road.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUoiyFEPK6o&ab_channel=TheJerusalemPost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn_4yZbtR3M&t=2s&ab_channel=themedialine
