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3D journey - Pool of Siloam to the Temple

A 3D walk from the Pool of Siloam up to the Temple.
Contributed by Immersive History
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Pilgrims arriving for the great feasts in Jerusalem would often enter from the south and ascend to the temple. The route from Bethany where Jesus often stayed would have taken Him this way on many occasions. The hill in the foreground is the Mount of Olives and the valley between this mount and the city wall is the Kidron valley. – Slide 1
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As people entered through the city gate they would see the fresh water Pool of Siloam. It was built some 2,700 years ago during the reign of King Hezekiah then rebuilt prior to the reign of Alexander Janaeus (103-76 BC). According to the Jerusalem Talmud (Hagigah), the Pool of Siloam was the starting point for pilgrims who made the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and where they ascended by foot to the inner court of the Temple Mount to bring an offertory to the Temple Court. Siloam means ‘gently flowing waters’, but based on Isaiah 12:3, the pool became known as the ‘well of salvation’. – Slide 2
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The pool of Siloam served as a ritual cleaning place and pilgrims would wash here before ascending to the temple. <br/>It was the place that Jesus told a blind man to go and wash. On doing so the blind man could see John 9:1-12). – Slide 3
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During the feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) each day at dawn the priests would draw water from the Pool of Siloam in a golden container and then carry it up the steps to the temple with great rejoicing. The water was brought up with great ceremony. The shofar was blown and the pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem for the feast waved their palm branches as the priests carried the water around the altar. The great Hallel (Psalms 113-118) were recited. – Slide 4
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According to the Talmud: ‘He who has not seen the rejoicing at the Place of the Water-Drawing has never seen rejoicing in his life. Later, in the evening, the priests would pour the water drawn from the Pool of Siloam onto the altar in a great joyous event known as the ‘pouring of the water’ (nisuch hamayim). The water pouring libation is referred to in the Talmud as ‘the season of our joy’. – Slide 5
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The stepped street from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple was built early Roman period and led toward the south-western corner of the temple with a branch to the right leading to the south entrances of the temple. Archaeologists have discovered a coin under this street dating to the period of Pontius Pilate. – Slide 6
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The stepped street climbed an elevation of 115 metres (377 ft) in altitude. The walk up from an altitude of 655m (2,149ft) in at the Pool of Siloam pool to an altitude of 725m (2,378ft) at the south temple entrances took around 30 minutes. – Slide 7
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The street was 8 meters (26ft) wide and its length from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount was 634 metres (2,080 ft). This street followed the Central or Tyropoeon Valley (also known as the ‘Valley of Cheesemakers’) which separated Mount Moriah from Mount Zion. It was one of the main arteries of ancient Jerusalem and once held a bustling street market. Archaeologists have found many coins, weights and even a special weighing table along the route. – Slide 8
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The large building to the left of this route is the Hippodrome built by Herod the Great for horse and chariot races. – Slide 9
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As people approached the Temple they could enter by the Double or Treble Gates in the south Temple wall. There was a ritual bath house by the popular Double Gate entrance. – Slide 10
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Both the Double and Treble Gates had stairways leading up to the temple courtyard. – Slide 11
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This view of the Temple is from the west overlooking Herod’s palace. Those approaching the south-west corner could ascend steps talking them into the Royal Stoa and then into the Temple Courtyard. This gate is known today as Robinson’s arch after the archaeologist who discovered it. People could also enter the Temple via the raised road from the upper city over what is now called ‘Wilson’s arch’ (again named (after the archaeologist who discovered it). There were two other entrances in the Temple west wall. – Slide 12
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Once in the temple courtyard people were in the Court of the Gentiles where all nationalities could go. Nearer the temple was a low stone barrier wall known as the ‘soreg’. It had entrances that only Jews were permitted to go through. Gentiles were warned in notices that to enter through the ‘soreg’ would result in death. – Slide 13
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In front of the sanctuary was the ‘Court of the Women’ so named as it was the closest to the sanctuary that Jewish women could go. – Slide 14
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Only ritually clean men could go through the large Nicanor gate on the west end of the ‘Court of the Women’ in front of the Sanctuary. Here they could stand before the altar in a narrow but wide area known as the ‘Court of Israel’. – Slide 15
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The drawing of water from the Pool of Siloam during the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ (Sukkot) was preceded by all-night family celebrations in the Court of Women and surrounding courtyards, with instrument-playing Levites, torch-juggling sages, and huge oil-burning lamps that illuminated the entire city. <br/>Four great high lamps with 4 bowls of oil each illuminated the ‘Court of Women’ <br/>The singing and dancing went on until daybreak, when a procession would make its way to the Pool of Siloam to ‘draw water with joy’. – Slide 16
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At the ‘Feast of Tabernacles’ (Sukkot) the High Priest and his assistant ascended the altar. The people started singing, ‘With joy we will draw water out of the well of salvation’ (Isaiah 12:3). The High Priest took his golden vase and poured the water on the altar along with wine from another bowl. – Slide 17
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At the final day of this water drawing ceremony known as ‘Hoshana Rabba’, (meaning Great Salvation), the water was processed round the altar seven times. It was on this day Jesus announced, ‘If anyone is thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scriptures has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’ (John 7:37-38). – Slide 18
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