David's Palace and the Pool of Siloam 

Two stunning archaeological discoveries have been announced recently; David's palace and the Siloam Pool. They are important because they confirm what is written in the Bible and put to rest arguments that the Bible is not an accurate source of history. A brief description of these two discoveries is given below. There are links to more detailed information.

David's Palace

For years certain "Biblical scholars" have argued that most, if not all, of the history found in the Bible was invented by the jews (define jews) to give themselves a glorious heritage. In particular, they assert that there was no "Golden Age of saul (define saul), David, and solomon (define solomon)." Their argument was that jerusalem (define jerusalem) was not a great city of political power during the time of david (define david), but that it was only a small village. They base their argument on the fact that no archaeology digs have so far turned up any evidence to support the Bible's claim that Jerusalem was a great city during David's time. In other words they claimed that "the absence of evidence is evidence of absence."

Now, that is all changed. Archaeologists have uncovered what they believe was David's palace in Jerusalem. Studies are underway to confirm the findings, but no one is disputing the claim that David's palace has been found at last.

Go to Biblical Archaeology Review to read all the details. On that same web page you will find more details about the siloam (define siloam) Pool discussed below.

Siloam Pool

Yet another stunning archaeological discovery, which dramatically affects the Bible, was announced within the past two weeks!

John 9:1-7

9:1 As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth.
9:2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
9:3 jesus (define jesus) answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him.
9:4 We F78 must work the works of him who sent me F79 while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.
9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
9:6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes,
9:7 saying to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

The exact location of the Siloam Pool in Jerusalem has been located and verified. This means that another important reference in the Bible is supported by archaeological study. There are three Siloam pools in Jerusalem's history and they are all three referenced in the Bible. Two are in the Old testament (define testament) and one is the pool referenced above in John 9:7. The exact locations of the two Siloam Pools from the Old Testament are not known.

The first Siloam Pool is documented in 2 Kings 20:20.

And the rest of the acts of hezekiah (define hezekiah), and all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the chronicles (define chronicles) of the kings of judah (define judah)?

The "conduit" above refers to Hezekiah's Tunnel, which he built to secure Jerusalem's water supply from attack. It ran for 1,750 feet under the ridge on which the City of David lay, from the gihon (define gihon) Spring to the "pool" (Siloam Pool).

The second Siloam Pool is documented in Nehemiah 3:15.

But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh, the ruler of part of mizpah (define mizpah); he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David.

The "pool of Siloah" is the Siloam Pool.

All three of the Siloam Pools were in slightly different locations, though they were all fed by Hezekiah's tunnel from the Gihon spring.

Go to Biblical Archaeology Review to read all the details. Scroll down the page and you will see the story about the Siloam Pool. At the bottom of the page is a link to the latest Biblical Archaeology Review article with the details of the discovery and a picture of the pool. It is a .PDF file so you will need the Acrobat Reader to open the article.