“This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works” (2 Chronicles 32:30 ESV).
King Hezekiah prepared Jerusalem for an impending siege by the Assyrians, by closing the “upper outlet of the waters of Gihon,” which were outside the city walls, and built a tunnel to carry the water to the Pool of Siloam within the city. By diverting the waters of the Gihon, he sought to prevent the Assyrian forces under King Sennacherib from having access to water. He said, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find much water?” (2 Chron. 32:4).
That Hezekiah built a tunnel to redirect the waters of Gihon is more clearly described in 2 Kings, where it says, “He made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city” (2 Kings 20:20). The 1,750 foot long, hand-carved tunnel through solid rock still carries water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam to this day. It is considered one of the greatest works of water engineering technology in the pre-Classical period.
My wife and I waded through the tunnel on one of our trips to Israel some years ago. The water runs knee deep and the tunnel walls still show the tool marks of the workers who carved it out with pick and shovel. Those with claustrophobia wouldn’t want to walk the tunnel. But if you’re willing to get wet, walk stooped over to keep from banging your head and have a really good flashlight, it’s well worth the experience.
Hezekiah’s tunnel is just one example of the way that the Bible is confirmed to be historically accurate. For the Bible records real people, real places, and real events. More than that, the Bible is God’s Word.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Your Word. We love Your Word and we desire to follow it as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit that we might read and understand Your Word and apply to our hearts. In Jesus’ name, amen.