Why did King Hezekiah build a tunnel?

Why did King Hezekiah build a tunnel?

According to the Bible, King Hezekiah, expecting an attack and possibly a long siege by the Assyrians in the eighth century B.C., had a tunnel built to bring water from the spring to an open reservoir within the walled city, which extends south of the Temple Mount.

Where does the Bible talk about Hezekiah’s tunnel?

According to the Bible, King Hezekiah prepared Jerusalem for an impending siege by the Assyrians, by “blocking the source of the waters of the upper Gihon, and leading them straight down on the west to the City of David” (2 Chronicles 32:30).

Where is the Gihon Spring mentioned in the Bible?

The Gihon Spring, the only source of water of the city, emerges in the Kidron Valley, east of the City of David. It is mentioned many times in the Bible, e.g., its location in the valley east of the city (II Chronicles 33:14); the anointing of Solomon as King of Israel (I Kings 1:35, 45).

What is ophel in the Bible?

The Ophel (Hebrew: עֹ֫פֶל‎ ‘ōp̄el), also Graecised to Ophlas, is the biblical name apparently given to a certain part of a settlement or city that is elevated from its surroundings, and probably means fortified hill or risen area.

What does tunnel mean spiritually?

While tunnels certainly represent journeys, they more often symbolize the passage from one phase of life to another. In its most primal meaning, the tunnel symbolizes the birth canal.

What is the Pool of Siloam in the Bible?

Workers repairing a sewage pipe in the old city of Jerusalem have discovered the biblical Pool of Siloam, a freshwater reservoir that was a major gathering place for ancient Jews making religious pilgrimages to the city and the reputed site where Jesus cured a man blind from birth, according to the gospel of John.

Where does Jerusalem get water?

Jerusalem currently gets its water from the area around Rosh Ha-Ain, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) northwest of the city. Even though the Gihon Spring is no longer vital to the survival of the city, the spring’s subterranean water tunnels are a popular tourist attraction in Jerusalem.

What is the Offel?

noun. the parts of a butchered animal that are considered inedible by human beings; carrion. the parts of a butchered animal removed in dressing; viscera. refuse; rubbish; garbage.

What is Zion theology?

Zion Theology refers to religious attitudes by Israelites toward Jerusalem — and how these attitudes changed over time. Solomon’s Temple is portrayed as an axis mundi where people can approach the deity and it is symbolic of the earth and garden of Eden.

What do tunnels symbolize in the Bible?

Tunnels make frequent appearances in literature, serving as symbolic representations of journeys and passages. At least as far back as the Bible, tunnels are invested with symbolic meaning, as people even cut ”a channel through the rock” in search of what is truly precious in Job 28:10.

What was the purpose of the tunnel in the Bible?

According to 2 Chronicles 32:2–4 and 2 Kings 20:20, this tunnel was dug during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah to prepare Jerusalem for the imminent attack of the Assyrian king, Sennacherib. In the Bible, Hezekiah redirected the water through old and newly dug Jerusalem tunnels.

Where was Hezekiah’s tunnel in the Bible?

Hezekiah’s Tunnel. Southern end of Hezekiah’s Tunnel (Photo by A. Chrysler) The Bible records that prior to the Assyrian invasion of Judah in 701 BCE, King Hezekiah built a tunnel under the city of David to bring the waters of the Gihon Spring to the southwesten side of the city.

When was the tunnel in the city of David dug?

Tunnels were dug in very different periods, ranging from the Middle Bronze Age to the Second Temple period. Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron, who have excavated the City of David near the Gihon Spring extensively, believe that the starting point of Hezekiah’s Tunnel was Tunnel IV, which is connected to the Round Chamber of the Rock-cut Pool.

Why was there a tunnel on the Temple Mount?

There is evidence to suggest that the tunnel was built to divert water into the first temple which was built by Solomon in the City of David (not Jerusalem). The water was used for the priest’s ritual bath (Mikveh) and to clean the alter after sacrifices. I believe the Temple Mount was actually the Roman fortress.