JERUSALEM — The Israel Antiquities Authority, the Israel National Parks Authority, and the City of David Foundation announced days before the new year that the Pool of Siloam, a biblical monument revered by Christians and Jews, will soon reopen to the public for the first time in two millennia.
American Pastor John Hagee, founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel, told Fox News Digital: “The excavation of the Pool of Siloam is of great importance to Christians around the world.” “Jesus healed the blind man at this location (John 9), and Jewish pilgrims purified themselves at this location 2,000 years ago before entering the Second Temple.
“The Pool of Siloam and the Pilgrimage Road, both located in the City of David, are among the most illuminating biblical archeological discoveries.
“Christians are profoundly blessed by the work of the City of David and Israel’s unwavering commitment to guaranteeing religious freedom to all who visit and live in the Holy Land, especially in Jerusalem, the undivided capital of Israel,”
Director of international affairs for the City of David Foundation in Jerusalem, Ze’ev Orenstein, told Fox News Digital, “For the first time in 2,000 years, one of the most significant sites affirming Jerusalem’s biblical heritage — not simply as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact — will be made fully accessible.”
The Siloam Inscription, discovered in Hezekiah’s Tunnel and dating to the eighth century B.C., portrays in early Hebrew writing the drama of tunnel excavation.
The Pool of Siloam is located within the Jerusalem Walls National Park in the southern portion of the City of David.
A tiny, completely excavated piece of the pool has been open to the public for some years. The main part of the pool is now being excavated and will be opened either in sections or once the entire site has been discovered. The archeological excavation of the pool will take several years. It is intended that visitors to the pool will be able to observe the ongoing excavation.
“Despite continued efforts by the United Nations and the Palestinian leadership to obliterate Jerusalem’s legacy, millions of visitors to the City of David will soon be able to truly walk in the footsteps of the Bible, connecting with the roots of their heritage and identity,” Orenstein stated.
The pool was constructed in the seventh century B.C. as part of Jerusalem’s water system, some 2,700 years ago. According to the two Israeli authorities and the City of David Foundation, the construction took place during the reign of King Hezekia, as mentioned in the Bible in Second Kings 20:20.
According to estimations, the Pool of Siloam went through a number of construction phases before reaching a size of 0.4 hectares.
When I consider this news, I am reminded of a verse from the Hebrew Bible: “My ears have heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you.”
Fox News Digital quoted Rev. Johnnie Moore, head of the Congress of Christian Leaders.
This revelation indicates that one of the most significant archeological discoveries in history will soon be open to the public. It will validate all of their beliefs. Faith is an aspect of God’s worship, but it is not a prerequisite for belief. There are historical facts that support the veracity of the Bible.
Moore, a member of The Combat Antisemitism Movement’s advisory board, adding, “At the Pool of Siloam, we find traces of history preserved for us and disclosed at precisely the right time. This event is truly historic. It affirms Scripture theologically, history geographically, and Israel’s indisputable and unparalleled connection to Jerusalem politically. Some discoveries are speculative. This is an undeniable fact. It is evidence of the Bible’s narrative and Israel’s people.”
A stroke of serendipity uncovered the pool in 2004 when the Hagihon water company’s infrastructure construction uncovered portions of the pool’s steps. The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) launched a survey under the supervision of scholars Roni Reich and Eli Shukron. Consequently, the northern boundary and a tiny portion of the eastern perimeter of the Pool of Siloam were exposed.