Entering the tunnel
Gihon spring. The existence of a spring in the Kidron valley supported the first habitation in Jerusalem. It offered a continuous flow of water throughout the year. As the city grew the need for water increased. Solomon built a tunnel making water from the Kidron spring more widely available.
Hezekiah 727-698 BC, had a tunnel dug to harness the springs outside the city to provide for the cities needs and deny a water supply to invading armies.
The tunnel is 538 meters long. It is possible to walk the tunnel from the spring of Gihon.
The place where the Siloam inscription was found. It tells the story of the tunnel. One group began work at Siloam another group at Gihon. The tunnel followed a fault in the rock through which water seeped. It is five hundred meters long and hid the source of the cities water supply from invaders.
As those mining the tunnel grew close they could hear the sound of each others axes. This was the point at which they met.
Tunnel nearing Siloam
The present pool of Siloam is fed through the tunnel of Hezekiah.
Jesus told the man blind from birth to “Go wash in the pool of Siloam.” Jn.9:7 The present pool is of much later construction.
