Once again, archeology has verified the Bible. While repairing a sewage pipe in Jerusalem, workers discovered the Pool of Siloam. The pool is a freshwater reservoir that was fed by a channel Hezekiah built to protect the city from the invasion of the Assyrians. It became a gathering place for ancient Jews making pilgrimages to the city. It is also the place where Jesus gave sight to a man who was born blind. In John 9:7, Jesus told the man “Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam”. It is now uncovered and visible due to excavations.

You can see pictures of the excavation here: http://www.bibleplaces.com/poolofsiloam.htm

Many critical scholars have maintained that there was no Pool of Siloam and that John was using it as a literary device. These people always assume that the Bible is not true unless they can prove it true. Since much of what the Bible records is very old, it is difficult. However, more and more discoveries have been made that verify the stories and places in the Bible.

I am not the only one gloating. New Testament scholar James H. Charlesworth, Princeton Theological Seminary, said “Now we have found the Pool of Siloam ... exactly where John said it was…A gospel that was thought to be pure theology is now shown to be grounded in history.”

In this case, we also have the Siloam Inscription. A stone was found in 1880 at Silwan, east of Jerusalem, and it now resides in the Museum of the Ancient Orient in Instanbul, Turkey. The text of the inscription describes the work of tunneling to bring the water to the pool.

2 Kings 20:20 says “As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?” 2 Chronicles 32:30 says “It was Hezekiah who blocked the upper outlet of the Gihon spring and channeled the water down to the west side of the City of David.” Isaiah condemned the Israelites because “you built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.” See Isaiah 22:11.

The One Who Planned It Long Ago also planned for us to find it again.