Gihon in 1 Kings 1:33 — Bible place

The only natural spring of water in or near Jerusalem is the “Fountain of the Virgin” (q.v.), which rises outside the city walls on the west bank of the Kidron valley. On the occasion of the approach of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib, Hezekiah, in order to prevent the besiegers from finding water, “stopped the upper water course of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David” (2 Chr. 32:30; 33:14). This “fountain” or spring is therefore to be regarded as the “upper water course of Gihon.” From this “fountain” a tunnel cut through the ridge which forms the south part of the temple hill conveys the water to the Pool of Siloam, which lies on the opposite side of this ridge at the head of the Tyropoeon (“cheesemakers’”) valley, or valley of the son of Hinnom, now filled up by rubbish. The length of this tunnel is about 1,750 feet. In 1880 an inscription was accidentally discovered on the wall of the tunnel about nineteen feet from where it opens into the Pool of Siloam. This inscription was executed in all probability by Hezekiah’s workmen. It briefly narrates the history of the excavation. It may, however, be possible that this tunnel was executed in the time of Solomon. If the “waters of Shiloah that go softly” (Isa. 8:6) refers to the gentle stream that still flows through the tunnel into the Pool of Siloam, then this excavation must have existed before the time of Hezekiah.

In the upper part of the Tyropoeoan valley there are two pools still existing, the first, called Birket el-Mamilla, to the west of the Jaffa gate; the second, to the south of the first, called Birket es-Sultan. It is the opinion of some that the former was the “upper” and the latter the “lower” Pool of Gihon (2 Kings 18:17; Isa. 7:3; 36:2; 22:9).

Recorded scripture occurrences (5)

References recorded in the source data; this is not an exhaustive list of mentions.

Show passage in OET: KI1 1:33

OET-RV KI1 1:33

33 “Take some of my servants,” the king instructed them. “and put my son Shelomoh on my mule and lead him to the Gihon Spring.

OET-LV KI1 1:33

33 And_ the_king _he/it _said to/for_them take with_you(pl) DOM the _servants _of your(pl)_master(s)_of_your(pl) and_you(pl)_will _cause _to _ride DOM Shəlomoh/(Solomon) son _of_my on the_mule which to_me and_you(pl)_will _take _down DOM_him/it to Giyḩōn.

Show passage in OET: KI1 1:38

OET-RV KI1 1:38

38 So Tsadok the priest and Natan the prophet and Yehoyada’s son Benayah and the kings bodyguards went and put Shelomoh on the king’s mule, and took him to Gihon.

OET-LV KI1 1:38

38 And_ Tsādōq/(Zadok) the_priest/officer and_Nātān the_prophet and_Bənā^yāh the _son _of Yəhōyādāˊ/(Jehoiada) and_the_Kerethite[s] and_the_Pelethite[s] _he/it _descended and_they _caused _to _ride DOM Shəlomoh on the _mule _of the_king Dāvid and_they _brought DOM_him/it to Giyḩōn.

Show passage in OET: KI1 1:45

OET-RV KI1 1:45

45 Then Tsadok and Natan anointed him as king at Gihon. Now they’ve gone back from there cheering all the way, and the whole city is happily celebrating. That’s the noise that you’re all hearing.

OET-LV KI1 1:45

45 And_ Tsādōq the_priest/officer and_Nātān the_prophet _they _have _anointed DOM_him/it to_king at_Giyḩōn and_they _have _gone _up from_there joyful and_ the_town _it _was _stirred that is_the_sound which you(pl)_have _heard.

Jump to OET KI1 1:33 section.

Jump to OET KI1 1:38 section.

Jump to OET KI1 1:45 section.

Words tagged with this person or place

These links follow the source-word tags and may include pronouns. Tagging is not exhaustive.