Descending through ancient Jerusalem and outside the modern city walls in what is known as the City of David, one comes to the recently uncovered (2005) Pool of Siloam. Formerly there was a smaller pool just outside the exit of Hezekiah's Tunnel that was thought to be the Pool of Siloam. However, the newly uncovered Pool of Siloam is much larger and dates first and second centuries AD. The pool was fed by the waters from the Gihon Spring via Hezekiah's Tunnel. The area is thought to have been the site of major construction during the time of Herod the Great but much is still to be uncovered in the area
Jesus commands the blind man in John 9 to
Luke 13:4
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There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
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And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
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I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
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Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
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I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
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He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
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Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
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And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
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And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
John 9
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And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.
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And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
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Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
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I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.
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As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
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When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
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And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.
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The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?
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Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
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Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?
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He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.
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Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
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They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.
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And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.
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Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.
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Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
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They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.
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But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
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And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
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His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
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But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
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These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
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Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
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Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.
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He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.
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Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?
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He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?
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Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.
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We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.
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The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
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Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
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Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
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If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
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They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
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Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?
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He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?
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And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.
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And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
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And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.
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And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?
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Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
Isaiah 22 - refers to the lower pool in the City of David
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The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?
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Thou that art full of stirs, a tumultuous city, a joyous city: thy slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.
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All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers: all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from far.
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Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people.
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For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.
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And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.
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And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.
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And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in that day to the armour of the house of the forest.
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Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.
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And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses have ye broken down to fortify the wall.
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Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.
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And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
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And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.
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And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
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Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say,
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What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?
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Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and will surely cover thee.
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He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.
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And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall he pull thee down.
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And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah:
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And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.
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And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
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And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house.
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And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.
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In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken it.