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 site cherished by Christians and Jews, will be open to the public for the first time in 2,000 years in the near future.
‘The Pool of Siloam’s excavation is highly significant to Christians around the world,’ American pastor John Hagee, the founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel, told Fox News Digital.
‘It was at this site that Jesus healed the blind man (John 9), and it is at this site that, 2,000 years ago, Jewish pilgrims cleansed themselves prior to entering the Second Temple.
‘The Pool of Siloam and the Pilgrimage Road, both located within the City of David, are among the most inspiring archaeological affirmations of the Bible.
‘Christians are deeply blessed by the City of David’s work and Israel’s enduring commitment to ensuring religious freedom to all who visit and live in the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem — the undivided capital of Israel.’
The Pool of Siloam is situated in the southern portion of the City of David and within the area of the Jerusalem Walls National Park.
A small section of the pool, which has been fully excavated, has been accessible to the public for several years, according to New York Post.
The vast majority of the pool is being excavated and will either be opened piecemeal or once the entire site is unearthed.
The pool was first built roughly 2,700 years ago as part of Jerusalem’s water system in the eighth century BC. The construction unfolded during the reign of King Hezekia as cited in the Bible in the Book of Kings II, 20:20, according to the two Israeli agencies and the City of David Foundation. According to estimates, the Pool of Siloam passed through many stages of construction and reached the size of 1¼ acres (54,450 square feet, or a little smaller than a football field).