Siloam(siloah)
“Sent”
Summary
A pool in Jerusalem fed by a tunnel from the Gihon Spring, where Jesus healed a man born blind and where a tower collapse killed eighteen people.
☩Location and Construction
The Pool of Siloam lies at the southern end of the Tyropeon Valley, receiving water through a tunnel from the Gihon Spring (also called the Virgin's Fountain). King Hezekiah likely constructed this tunnel to secure Jerusalem's water supply before Sennacherib's siege, bringing water inside the city walls. An ancient Hebrew inscription discovered in the tunnel in 1880 describes how workers cutting from both ends met in the middle—a remarkable engineering feat covering about 1,750 feet through solid rock.
☩The Healing of the Blind Man
Jesus sent a man born blind to wash in the Pool of Siloam after anointing his eyes with clay made from spittle. John notes that 'Siloam' means 'Sent,' connecting the pool's name to Jesus as the One sent by the Father. The man obeyed, washed, and returned seeing—his healing sparking controversy with the Pharisees who disputed Jesus' authority and eventually expelled the healed man from the synagogue. The miracle demonstrated Jesus as the light of the world.
☩The Tower of Siloam
Jesus referenced a recent tragedy when the tower of Siloam fell, killing eighteen people. Some apparently thought the victims were exceptional sinners, judged by God for their wickedness. Jesus rejected this interpretation, warning His hearers: 'Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.' The point was not that calamity indicated special guilt, but that all people face mortality and need repentance—sudden death should prompt urgent spiritual response in survivors.
Related Verses6 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Siloam," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IX (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Hastings (ed.), "Siloam," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).
- 3.James Orr (ed.), "Siloam," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).